Families of the Disappeared Call for Support Ahead of International Conference in Jaffna

The Northern and Eastern Province Association of Families of the Enforced Disappeared has called on all sections of society to extend their support for an international conference to be held in Jaffna on August 30, marking the International Day of the Disappeared.

The association’s chairperson, Kanagaranjini, made the appeal at a press conference held at the Jaffna Press Club on Tuesday. (Aug 18)

She said that 15 years have passed since the end of the final stages of the war, yet families of those who disappeared during the conflict continue to search for answers about the fate of their loved ones.

According to Kanagaranjini, the families have continuously pursued justice at the international level, including through the United Nations, after repeated efforts to obtain answers and justice from the Sri Lankan government failed to produce results.

“We have submitted written requests for justice to successive authorities following the atrocities committed against the Tamil people, but we have not received satisfactory answers,” she said.

She added that the families had appeared before more than 12 commissions of inquiry, but those efforts had failed to provide meaningful results.

The families had therefore come to the conclusion that they could not expect justice through the domestic judicial system and had shifted their struggle towards the international community, she said.

“Our voices calling for truth and justice have continued to be raised at the United Nations since the 36th session,” she said.

Kanagaranjini said the families’ expectation was to establish internationally the truth about what they describe as genocide in Sri Lanka and to seek justice through countries that uphold human rights.

As part of their continuing campaign for truth and justice, families of the forcibly disappeared from the Northern and Eastern Provinces are planning to hold an international conference at the Thanthai Chelva Auditorium in Jaffna on August 30.

She appealed to all sections of society to support the conference and assist in ensuring that the event is successfully organised.

“We expect the support and assistance of all sections of society to take forward this international conference, which is a continuation of our struggle to find our disappeared loved ones and obtain justice,” she said.