Provide Accountability for the Disappeared in Sri Lanka
by Amnesty International, December 15, 2017
https://act.amnestyusa.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1839&ea.campaign.id=75621
Up to 100,000 people have been made to “disappear” in Sri Lanka over the past 35 years. The Sri Lankan government must implement its promises to provide truth and justice to the relatives of the disappeared.
Text of Petition:
Message Recipient: President Maithripala Sirisena
Sri Lankans from all communities suffered during Sri Lanka’s long and brutal armed conflict. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been condemned for their attacks on civilians and the practice of recruitment of child soldiers. What is less well known is the alleged role of the security forces in the practice of enforced disappearances. Enforced disappearance is a crime under international law, but the perpetrators of these crimes in Sri Lanka have not yet been punished. The Consultation Task Force (CTF) established by you in 2016 acknowledged the need for truth, justice and reparations for relatives of those missing.
You have now taken an important step to sign the Act to create an Office on Missing Persons. This is welcome but we urge you to operationalize the Office as soon as possible. Further, please respond to the calls of families of the disappeared who have repeatedly called on the government to release a complete list of detainees, so the families can learn whether their missing relatives are currently in detention and if so, where.
We call on the Sri Lankan government to: (i) establish the Office on Missing Persons immediately, (ii) enact legislation implementing the Convention Against Enforced Disappearances, and (iii) release immediately a complete list of detainees. The families of the disappeared have waited too long already for truth and justice. There must be no further delay.