The Families of the Disappeared organisation is set to submit a report compiled from its recent women’s conference to the relevant authorities, while calling for the establishment of an accountability mechanism to strengthen the search for missing and disappeared persons in Sri Lanka.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (24), Families of Missing Persons President Brito Fernando said that the report will be handed over at several locations in Colombo tomorrow (26) and on 27 March.
He noted that the report primarily contains complaints raised by women from the South and highlights concerns over the lack of accountability in ongoing efforts to trace missing persons.
“While handing over the report, we are also requesting a mechanism for accountability regarding the search for the truth of those who have gone missing,” Fernando said.
Meanwhile, responding to the concerns, Office on Missing Persons (OMP) Chairperson Mahesh Katulanda said that the country already has systems in place to ensure transparency in its operations and that investigations into missing persons are ongoing.
“We are meeting families who have lodged complaints, one by one, and have appointed 25 teams for this process. These teams include senior citizens, lawyers, activists and representatives from various sectors of society. Families of missing persons can place their trust in our functionality and transparency,” Katulanda said.