Recommendations A/HRC/33/51/Add.2 Measures taken/current situation Situation during the visit A/HRC/33/51/Ad d.2 Level of implementation and observations (to be completed by the WGEID) facilitate the issuance of a Certificate of Absence in relation to a missing person where there is sufficient material to conclude that the person to whom the complaint relates is a missing person The Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provision) (Amendment) Act No. 16 of 2016 was passed in order to enable the issuance of a Certificate of Absence for the victims. (Refer Section 8A (1) for criteria required to apply for Certificate of Absence) (Available at: https://www.srilankalaw.lk/YearWisePdf/2016/16-2016_E.pdf ) Government – September 2019 The Government of Sri Lanka notes that through the amendment to the Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 16 of 2016, Certificates of Absence (CoA) in lieu of death certificates are being issued by the Registrar General’s Department, which would enable the families of the disappeared to access certain facilities that would be in the name of the disappeared. The Government remains committed to enabling the acceptance of such Certificates. As at 31 July 2019, 656 COAs have been issued. The Office on Missing Persons in its interim report published in September 2018, recommended to provide a monthly allowance to families of the missing who have obtained the CoA, until the Office for Reparations is fully operationalized and start paying compensation. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers, on 03 September 2019 approved the grant of Rs. 6000 to families of the missing with a CoA as a monthly allowance. This will be through a direct credit transfer to the recipient which would lessen the burden of the recipient in collecting the grant, monthly. The interim allowance will be paid on 10th of each month from October 2019. v) Full protection and support to the relatives of disappeared persons and to witnesses; 25 23 OMP Act, above n 16, Sections 13(1)(g), 18. The Working Group regrets the Enforced Disappearance Act did not include provisions on the protection of relatives and witnesses but notes the OMP Act provides for developments of a system for victims and witness protection. A/HRC/42/40/Add.1 ( OMP See response to recommendation 77(a) and 79(g). The OMP has the authority to develop and enforce a system for victim and witness protection.23 The OMP has developed procedures for receiving and recording complaints from victims and witnesses. Further in individual instances where families and justice collaborators have been threatened, intimidated or subject to surveillance the OMP has documented such incidents and initiated follow-up action with relevant authorities. Amnesty