Office of Missing Persons is an ‘eye-wash’, say   Relatives of disappeared people

A huge demonstration was held in Kilinochchi yesterday marking one year anniversary of the first of five protests by Tamil relatives of the disappeared began in 2017. Demonstrators described the Office of Missing Persons announced by the government as an “eyewash”.

Seven elderly parents of the disappeared have passed away over the course of this protest.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala met with the families of the disappeared in June and November last year and promised to release a list of surrendees who were handed over to the Army at the end of the war in 2009.

The families handed over a letter stating 5 key demands to the President, requesting the release of lists of all who surrendered to the armed forces, during and after the war, particularly during the last phase, a list of all secret detention centers, their status and list of detainees, and a list of all political prisoners held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). To date, none of their demands have been met with.