JAFFNA, July 31, 2025 —
Families of the disappeared in Sri Lanka’s North and East have once again rejected domestic accountability mechanisms, calling instead for a credible international inquiry into the fate of thousands who went missing during and after the country’s civil war.
Gathering in Jaffna to mark yet another month of continuous protest — now surpassing 2,700 consecutive days — the families accused successive governments of failing to deliver justice and truth, and expressed deep distrust in national processes.
“We do not believe in commissions created by the Sri Lankan state. They have come and gone with no answers. We want international justice,” said S. Kalaichelvi, whose son disappeared in May 2009 after reportedly surrendering to the military.
Longstanding Demands Ignored
Since the end of the armed conflict in 2009, Tamil families have persistently sought information about their missing loved ones. Various domestic initiatives, including the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), have been set up but are widely seen by families as ineffective and politicized.
“Four different presidents, multiple commissions, and still not even a death certificate,” said Selvarajah Jeyakumari, holding a faded photograph of her teenage son. “This is why we don’t want another local investigation. We’ve waited long enough.”
Calls for UN-Led Accountability
Human rights advocates supporting the families have echoed calls for international oversight, urging the United Nations Human Rights Council to initiate a special mechanism to investigate enforced disappearances and war crimes.
“The time for truth and justice is long overdue,” said a lawyer with the Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research. “Sri Lanka has shown it cannot credibly investigate itself. The world must act.”
UN reports estimate that over 16,000 people, mostly Tamil civilians, remain unaccounted for since the war ended. The Sri Lankan government, however, has repeatedly resisted international involvement, arguing that accountability must come through domestic legal frameworks.
Government Yet to Respond
As of Wednesday, there was no official response from the Sri Lankan government regarding the renewed demands for international intervention. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration has pledged transitional justice reforms, but families say they are weary of promises that never materialize.
“We are mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers. We are not political tools,” said one protester in Kilinochchi. “All we want is the truth.”
With international attention refocusing on Sri Lanka’s human rights commitments, the voices of the families—many of whom have protested under harsh conditions for years—remain a powerful reminder of the unfinished chapters of the island’s post-war story.
Leave a comment