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UN experts press Sri Lanka on disappearances, arbitrary detentions and intimidation at Geneva review

Published

11 months ago

2025/10/2

Sri Lanka faced sustained scrutiny in Geneva as the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) concluded its first examination of the island’s record under the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance last week, Tamil Guardian reported.

Experts welcomed the transposition of the Convention into domestic law but raised pointed questions about arbitrary detentions, “short-term” disappearances, intimidation of victims’ families and long-standing impunity.

Opening the dialogue, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Co-Rapporteur Olivier de Frouville said Sri Lanka “had been particularly affected by enforced disappearance,” citing waves of cases in the 1980s and 1990s and “throughout the conflict period until 2009.” He acknowledged steps taken since ratification, including the 2018 statute and the establishment of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), describing the law as “a good transposition of the Convention.” However, he noted “several cases of arbitrary detention and ‘short-term’ disappearances reported in recent years, including cases of people being taken in white vans and held in secret detention for extended periods.” He asked, “How did the State ensure that the police enforced the zero-tolerance policy for such detentions?”

Country Co-Rapporteur Carmen Rosa Villa Quintana focused on the treatment of families. “The families of victims of enforced disappearance were reportedly threatened with intimidation or surveillance by the State and, in some cases, police had refused to accept complaints,” she said. “How did the State party ensure that victims’ families could submit complaints without fear of reprisals?” She added that Sri Lanka now had “an opportunity to progress and recognise all the rights of victims,” and urged action on access to information, protection measures and effective remedies.

Committee members also pressed for specifics on accountability. De Frouville asked whether Sri Lanka would recognise the Committee’s competence to receive individual complaints, and sought updates on cases sent to the High Court, the effectiveness of habeas corpus, and access to police and military archives. He queried the status of earlier recommendations to prosecute perpetrators and raised the issue of presidential pardons, asking how the State was “tackling impunity.” Villa Quintana asked how authorities respond when “perpetrators of enforced disappearance had been identified but not brought to trial,” and what measures were in place “to fight impunity” when officials accused of involvement were appointed to senior posts.

The Committee pursued questions on mass graves, data systems and the independence of institutions. Villa Quintana asked about the preservation of remains, DNA databases and whether Sri Lanka had sought international assistance for exhumations, noting reports of sites in the North-East and the long-running Chemmani case. The delegation replied that “all investigations of mass graves were carried out with judicial oversight,” that international standards were being implemented, and that exhumed remains were held by judicial medical officers. On Chemmani, they said “remains were ready for forensic investigations or exhumations,” and added that five Army personnel had been arrested in connection with bodies recovered there.

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Sun directly overhead Kalpitiya, Talawa, Sinharagama, Galkadawala, Nachchaduwa, Padikaramaduwa, Gomarankalla and Verugal about 12.10 noon today (01)

Published

5 mins ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (01) are Kalpitiya, Talawa, Sinharagama, Galkadawala,
Nachchaduwa, Padikaramaduwa, Gomarankalla and Verugal about 12.10 noon.

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SJB asks what Speaker intended to do about allegations against CJ

Published

1 hour ago

2026/09/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

… stresses need for action if claims were proved false

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has sought a clarification from Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne regarding several allegations against Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, in Parliament, recently.

In a letter dated 31 August, Jayasekera has asked the Speaker whether he received any documentary evidence from MPs in support of the allegations at issue. The SJB MP has also inquired about the steps taken by the Speaker regarding the allegations and whether the issue had been taken up with the relevant agencies authorised to probe the assets of the CJ and members of his family.

MP Jayasekera confirmed that he had raised the issue with the Speaker, following the accusations relating to the high profile X-Press Pearl case, which received significant public attention in the recent past.

The Kurunegala District MP has also asked the Speaker whether the latter contemplated taking action in case the allegations were proved false to ensure that the dignity of the Chief Justice and the judiciary was safeguarded.

Among the issues raised by MP Jayasekera are the acquisition of valuable property in Colombo by the CJ’s son, the circumstances in which he was able to procure the property, as well as accusations regarding the CJ’s birth certificate, marriage certificate and birth certificates of his children.

News

Navy Chief attends strategic-level discussions in Delhi

Published

1 hour ago

2026/09/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Navy Chief Vice Admiral Damian Fernando held a series of strategic-level discussions with senior Indian defence and military officials during a three-day official visit to New Delhi. He returned on Sunday (30).

Navy Headquarters said that the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen maritime security cooperation between the two Navies in support of security in the Indian Ocean region. They also exchanged views on expanding training opportunities and capacity-building programmes, as well as other areas of bilateral importance.

During his visit to New Delhi, Vice Admiral Fernando also held official discussions with India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General N.S. Raja Subramani, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit and defence industry representatives. Discussions at these meetings focused on bilateral defence cooperation, joint training programmes, and opportunities to enhance air and maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.

As part of efforts to further expand cooperation in naval training and professional development, Vice Admiral Fernando also met Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of India’s Southern Naval Command, at its headquarters in Kochi, Kerala. The two sides discussed existing naval training exchange programmes and opportunities for introducing and expanding further training initiatives. The meeting followed the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy’s visit to INS Dronacharya, the Indian Navy’s training establishment where he previously completed the Long Gunnery and Missile Course.