EU calls on Rajapaksa government for investigation into disappeared persons

Saturday, 31 August 2013 

The European Union (EU) Delegation in Sri Lanka has urged the government for credible and transparent investigations into disappearances consistent with international standards.

The EU has said that in Sri Lanka, thousands of people disappeared during the war and while many cases date back to the unrest in the south in the 1970s and 1980s, others are much more recent, affecting people across the country, both during and after the war.

“Against this backdrop, the EU Delegation notes the recent appointment of a Presidential Commission to investigate disappearances during the war period. The Delegation hopes the Commission will approach its important and challenging task with determination and independence, helping to ensure credible and transparent investigations consistent with international standards,” the EU delegation has noted.

The EU delegation has encouraged Sri Lanka to draw on the support of international partners who may be able to assist with this challenging task.

 It has also encouraged the government to respond to pending individual cases and to facilitate the request of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to visit the country.