Sri Lanka vehemently denies UN report on enforced disappearances | Global News

Sri Lanka Strongly Rejects UN Rights Report on Enforced Disappearances

Sri Lanka has raised objections to a report issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) this week, calling into question the timing and mandate of the report. The OHCHR report, released on Friday, urged the Sri Lankan government to ensure accountability for enforced disappearances during the armed conflict with the LTTE.

According to Sri Lankan foreign ministry officials, the ministry plans to officially write to the OHCHR regarding its unilateral action in issuing the report, particularly questioning the timing of its release. The report came just a day before planned commemorations by the Tamil diaspora and relatives of those who died during the final battle between the government and the LTTE in May 2009.

Events marking the fifteenth anniversary of the conflict were held in former conflict zones and even in the capital, Colombo, despite concerns of government crackdowns due to the LTTE’s terrorist designation. Tamil groups allege a significant number of civilians perished during the final battle.

The OHCHR report called for accountability for enforced disappearances and urged Sri Lanka to take meaningful action to disclose the fates of those missing. The report also called for international engagement in investigations and prosecutions.

Sri Lanka maintains that the OHCHR was not mandated by member states to issue such a report. The country’s authorities continue to face criticism for failing to ensure accountability for human rights violations, despite the passage of many years since the conflict ended. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk emphasized the need for institutional reform for reconciliation to succeed.