The attention of the Foreign Affairs Ministry has been drawn to a list of names published online by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP). According to the ITJP, this list, which at present consists of 351 names and can be accessed at http://www.disappearance.itjpsl.com/#lang=english, is of persons who are alleged to have disappeared while in the custody of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in May 2009, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) which has been established by an Act of Parliament (Act No. 14 of 2016 as amended by Act No. 09 of 2017)[1] is the permanent and independent entity in Sri Lanka that is vested with the tasks of, inter alia, searching and tracing of missing persons and clarifying the circumstances in which such persons went missing, and their fate; making recommendations to the relevant authorities towards reducing the incidents of missing persons; protecting the rights and interests of missing persons and their relatives; and identifying proper avenues of redress to which such missing persons or their relatives may have recourse, the release stated.
Therefore, the Foreign Affairs Ministry urges and encourages anyone in Sri Lanka or overseas to share with the Office on Missing Persons: any further/ additional/ detailed information pertaining to persons whose names have been listed by the ITJP and the circumstances under which they went missing; any other lists/ information that may be available with anyone/ entity pertaining to any individuals including lists of security forces and police personnel, who may be considered to be missing, as defined by Section 27 of the Act, the statement said.
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