A/HRC/19/58
Standard procedure
541. The Working Group transmitted 59 newly-reported cases to the Government. The
majority of these cases concerned persons who allegedly disappeared in 2009, in
Mullaitivu.16
Prompt intervention
542. On 23 August 2011, the Working Group, together with three other Special Procedures
mechanisms, sent a prompt intervention letter to the Government regarding alleged threats
against individuals, including relatives, related to the case of Mr. Pattani Razeek, a human
rights defender who was reportedly disappeared and killed.
General allegations
Summary of the general allegation
543. Information was submitted by sources concerning obstacles encountered in the
implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced
Disappearance in Sri Lanka during the last phase of the war against the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam from 2006 until 2009. This information was transmitted to the Government on
4 May 2011, after the Working Group’s ninety-third session.
544. The source informed the Working Group about serious allegations of human rights
violations in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, in particular the Mannar district.
Allegations were that enforced or involuntary disappearances, as well as other serious
human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions, torture, extrajudicial killings, rapes
and other forms of sexual violence, discrimination based on religion or belief and ethnic
origin, as well as serious limitations to the exercise of other civil and political and
economic, social and cultural rights, occurred.
545. According to sources, more than 500 persons disappeared in the Jaffna district between
January and August 2007. Similarly, information was received that approximately 100
people disappeared in the Mannar district between 2008 and 2009.
546. Allegations were made about the absence of impartial investigations, prosecution, trial
and sentence of alleged perpetrators of human rights violations. According to the sources,
existing mechanisms such as police and existing human rights commissions, among others,
have proved unable to assist the families of the victims of enforced or involuntary
disappearances in their search for their beloved ones. It was alleged that families did not
have access to relevant information and that there was no centralised list of detainees in
each detention centre to which relatives could refer.
547. Sources also reported that there was a lack of substantial progress on the several
reconciliation initiatives that were set, which have allegedly failed to provide the victims
with answers on the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared and to provide accountability
of alleged perpetrators of human rights violations; among other obligations incumbent upon
States where enforced or involuntary disappearances have occurred. In this connection, it
was alleged that few had been prosecuted, subjected to trial and sentenced, despite the
almost three years that have elapsed between the end of the war against the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
16
See annex V for the list of names of the newly-reported cases of disappeared persons.
111
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents