Sri Lanka reaffirms commitment to UN on enforced disappearances

Colombo, Sept. 30 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka has reaffirmed its commitment to the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), with Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara leading the country’s delegation to the 29th Session of the Committee in Geneva.

The visit marked the presentation of Sri Lanka’s initial report under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

In his opening remarks, Minister Nanayakkara stressed the government’s commitment to safeguarding human rights and highlighted the ongoing work of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), the Office for Reparations (OR), and the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR). He noted that these institutions continue to play a central role in addressing past grievances and protecting the dignity of affected families.

The Minister said Sri Lanka’s broader vision was to strengthen democratic institutions, build public trust, and ensure political, economic, and social stability. He underscored that engaging with the UN Committee was “not merely a reporting obligation, but an opportunity to strengthen national frameworks, uphold accountability, and protect the rights and dignity of all persons in line with international standards.”

Sri Lanka signed the Convention on Enforced Disappearances in 2015 and ratified it the following year. Minister Nanayakkara also pointed out that the country has a long-standing practice of investigating complaints of disappearances, even before the Convention was adopted in 2006 and entered into force.