People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) called for international action on Sri Lanka as it is "abdundantly clear that such accountability will not come from the state."
In a statement marking International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, PEARL expressed solidarity with the Tamil families of disappeared, who have been protesting continuously since 2017 despite facing threats and intimidation from Sri Lanka.
Tamil families of the disappeared have been demanding to know the fate of their loved ones who were forcibly disappeared or surrendered to Sri Lanka's security forces in the final phase of the armed conflict. To date, Sri Lanka has failed to provide any answers to the families despite pledges from various governments.
The US based advocacy organisation called on the international community to "take action through both international justice and investigation tools as well as bilateral actions" including the suspension of the GSP+ trading scheme and aid packages to Sri Lanka.
PEARL also called for the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been used to "legalise enforced disappearances", to be fully repealed. The organisation also highlighted that "true justice will come from self-determination and a permanent political solution for Tamils in Sri Lanka."
Despite the formation of the government-sanctioned, Office of Missing Persons (OMP) in September 2017 - which promised to help provide answers and justice for the missing persons – Tamil families of the disappeared have rejected it for its repeated failures and lack of progress in providing justice.
PEARL called on international actors to look at how they engage with Sri Lanka and "align its actions to be committed to the promise of accountability, transparency and justice."
Read PEARL's full statement here.
