Families of the disappeared who marked one year since their protest began in Trincomalee have denounced the Office for Missing Persons as a delusion introduced by the Sri Lankan government to pacify the international community while the UN Human Rights Council session takes place.
“The Sri Lankan government cannot trick us the way they trick the international community,” said Asha Nagendran during a press conference called by the families to mark day 365 of their protest on Saturday.
“We have no faith in this office,” Mrs Nagendran said, pointing out that the Sri Lankan President had failed to fulfil any of the pledges he had made to families of the disappeared when he met them personally last year.
“We have no faith in this government’s actions,” Mrs Nagendran concluded.
The Office for Missing Persons named its commissioners last week, drawing criticism for failing to meet the conditions set out be families of the disappeared, particularly by the inclusion of a military representative.
