International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances Commemoration Event - organized by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration and the Office on Missing Persons: Remarks by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka

29 August 2025 | Temple Trees

Ministers, Deputy Minister, Chairman, Commissioners, Representatives from the justice and security institutions, government and civil society representatives, national and international partners:
It is an honour to stand here in solidarity with the families of the disappeared on this solemn day of remembrance. The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, which is observed around the world, carries a particularly heavy weight in Sri Lanka.

I commend the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) and the Ministry of Justice and National Integration for convening this important commemoration.

I especially acknowledge all the families of the disappeared, some of whom are present today, who courageously continue to seek truth and justice despite enormous challenges.
In Sri Lanka for each of the tens of thousands of unresolved cases, spanning decades, across the island and from every community, there is a family living with uncertainty and grief.
The trauma of not knowing the fate of a loved one is profound and enduring; it is a wound that time alone will not heal.

Enforced disappearance is not only a crime against the individual, but also a grave human rights violation that has widespread effects on families, communities, and society, eroding trust in institutions and blocking the path to reconciliation. Without reconciliation there can be no sustainable recovery, growth and development.  As we know from experience, this trauma will not magically disappear.  If not addressed, the country will not be able to move forward with confidence.  
This year’s excavations of mass graves, where human skeletal remains and personal belongings, including those of children, have been recovered, expose the magnitude of past abuses and underline how many answers are still denied to families. 

During his recent visit to Sri Lanka the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights had the opportunity to visit Chemmani and meet some representatives of the families still grieving and seeking truth.   
A credible, transparent, and independent investigation which uncovers facts and provides closure to families is critical. Closure is a prerequisite to healing, justice and reconciliation.
Mass graves must be properly identified, protected, preserved and investigated, in accordance with international forensic and human rights standards.

The OMP plays a central role in tracing and investigation. 
The OMP has indicated that in a handful of cases, it has traced the whereabouts of individuals who have been reported as disappeared. In these cases, the OMP has a duty to share their findings with the families concerned. 
The OMP needs to be strengthened with human resources, forensics and tracing capacity and independence to meet families’ long-standing quest for answers.
The recent decision to invite the public to help identify items recovered from mass graves is welcomed. To build enduring trust, however, the OMP must make victims a part of the entire search processes for their loved ones, including the exhumation of mass graves. 
The Ministry of Justice and Integration also has a vital role in ensuring institutions can function effectively and independently. 
Equally important is active coordination and collaboration with other relevant justice and security institutions to deliver results. 
It is also critical for the Government to expedite emblematic cases on enforced disappearances
The government has acknowledged that families have lost trust in the institutions. One way to build trust is through collaboration with victims’ families while recognizing that respect and protection for their rights is essential.

Families of the disappeared and victims require tangible, practical and holistic support, including psychosocial support.
While some financial relief has been provided to the families, the government needs to develop a comprehensive reparation package for all victims of enforced disappearances.
We remain deeply concerned by reports of surveillance, intimidation, and retaliation against victims’ families and human rights defenders, including during memorialisation activities. The right to mourn and hold protests are fundamental rights.
Seeking truth and justice must never be criminalised. Those engaged in this struggle deserve protection, not punishment. They have the right to seek the truth.
Ensuring their safety is essential not only to uphold human rights, but to restore trust and make justice and reconciliation a reality.

As highlighted by the United Nations Secretary General, “States must fulfil their obligations to prevent enforced disappearance, to search for the victims, and to investigate, prosecute and punish the perpetrators.” 
International support is available, but efforts should be coordinated to prevent duplication and to ensure justice for the victims. The United Nations reiterates its offer of assistance. 

On this International Day, the United Nations stands in solidarity with every family still searching for their loved ones.
We remain committed to supporting credible, independent, and victim-centered investigations that can provide answers, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence.
Let us honor the memory of all those Sri Lankans forcibly disappeared not only with remembrance, but with deeds and results, for the families and for the country.