ICRC REPORT: NEEDS OF THE FAMILIES OF MISSING PERSONS IN SRI LANKA
Executive Summary.-05/08/2016
The following report outlines the findings of the ‘Families’ Needs Assessment’ (FNA) carried out by the ICRC from October 2014 to November 2015. It includes a detailed description of the needs of families of missing persons; the existing resources available to them (or lack thereof ), and their current coping mechanisms. It also includes the ICRC’s recommendations on how to respond to such needs. This report is published with the intention to support and facilitate the action in favour of missing persons and their families.
The ICRC’s focus on the issue of missing persons stems from the fact that the adoption of all possible measures to account for persons reported missing – as well as provision of information thereon – is an obligation imposed on states by IhL. Moreover, the experience of countries recovering from conflicts worldwide has shown that not resolving problems relating to the issue of missing persons and their families can pose a serious obstacle to reconciliation and act as an ongoing reminder of conflict for society as a whole. The ICRC believes it is therefore imperative that the fate of the persons missing in relation to the past armed conflict in Sri Lanka – and the needs of their families – be addressed in full.
