Volume : 5

Issue : 72
E Mail : nandmana@sltnet.lk
www.humanrightsofficekandy.org

Commemorating the
International Day of the Disappeared - 2014

30th August, the International day for the disappeared was commemorated by the Parents and the Families of the
disappeared at the Human Rights Office in Kandy with an inter-religious ceremony.

The last four decades of political violence in Sri Lanka

have witnessed the enforced disappearance of tens of
thousands of Sri Lankans. Disappearance contextualized
as a counter-insurgency strategy, in the context of armed
confrontation. However the military defeat of the LTTE in
May 2009 did not bring about an end to the phenomenon.
The motive behind disappearances served as an integral
part of a system of state power and patronage to enable
the political elite to immobilize all political opposition.

As a central component of this political project,

disappearance enabled the ruling elite to manipulate local
grievances , when given political expression led to greater violence in the permanent removal of local enemies whilst
heightening mistrust within communities.

Having gradually being healed of their trauma , the Families of the disappeared in the Central Province focused on
Religious observances with a sermon, encouraging the families to proceed towards the holistic wellness and face the
challenges they encounter. The Buddhist monks, Buddhist nuns, Catholic priests and nuns joined the inter-religious
Alms giving that were organized by the families of the
disappeared.

With several sessions on “Healing of Memories” the

parents and families of the disappeared were empowered
and assisted by the Human Rights Office in Kandy during
the past years and now they assist the trauma victims of
the north. Several visits were made by them and the
programme was gradually extended to the north and
families of the disappeared from Valaipadu and
Parappakandal were brought to Kandy for such sessions.