GOVT. TO USE ‘FEEDBACK DATASHEET FORM’ TO OBTAIN INFO

Missing persons

Th e g o v e r n m e n t undertook a new survey to get comprehensive information on missing persons through ‘Feedback Datasheet Form’ from the family members of the missing persons, which are certified by the Grama Niladhari (GN), Divisional Secretariat and District Secretariat administration, an official said yesterday.

The National Integration and Reconciliation Ministry said in a statement a Thailand Delegation visited to get first-hand information on national integration and reconciliation processes in Sri Lanka.

The discussion with the delegation spelt out the structural overview of the Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation and signified the importance given to the reconciliation agenda of Sri Lanka as it was headed by President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as the Minister. The delegation was briefed on the establishment of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) under the Act, No. 14 of 2016 to search and trace the whereabouts and the fate of the missing persons as a part of the transitional justice mechanism. OMP is an independent Commission and it has been Gazetted under the Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation. The Commissioners of the OMP were recommended by the Constitutional Council and appointed by the President.

Mr. V. Sivagnanasothy, Secretary to the Ministry of National Integration and Reconciliation said, the delegation was briefed on the reconciliation strategies such as the Policy on national reconciliation, National Reconciliation Action Plan (NRAP), declaration of national integration and reconciliation week, integration friendly schools programme, integration friendly universities and youth programme, integration friendly media programme (peace journalism), establishment of District Reconciliation Committees (DRCS) to address religious and ethnic tensions, Reconciliation focused Economic Empowerment Project (REEP) to promote reconciliation through establishing business linkages between North and South, reconciliation focused 50,000 housing programme for the conflict affected in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, high priority roads and bridges project, other interventions such as Myliddy Harbour development in the Northern Province, establishment of an economic centre in Jaffna linking Dambulla economy centre and other related programmes including school development and improving of hospital development programmes.

The briefing session also explained that the Sri Lankan reconciliation interventions as a benefactor, covers all ethnic and social infrastructure development work, focusing vulnerable groups such as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS), refugee returnees, womenheaded families, war affected disabled families, rehabilitated ex-combatants, families of the missing persons and low-income poverty groups.