HRC to begin investigations into Jaffna disappeared

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 December 2002, 19:34 GMT]
The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has set December 16 as the date to start investigations into the disappearance of a large number of people following their arrest by the Sri Lankan security forces in Jaffna during 1996 and 1997, said HRC coordinator for Jaffna district, Mr. Rohan Chandrasekara today.

There have been 240 complaints of missing persons to the HRC so far, and Mr. Chandrasekara said the investigations would focus on these complaints and be completed within 6 months.

The Missing Persons' Guardian Association (MPGA) last week carried out a picketing campaign in front of the Jaffna secretariat, demanding that the government should reveal the truth behind the disappearances and produce the missing persons.

The MPGA also held a protest outside the HRC office in Jaffna on Tuesday as it was the internal human rights day.

The government has so far taken no action on the demands for investigations by the MPGA. The HRC, which did some investigations last year, is however going ahead with its own investigations.

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