Missing persons:

No solace yet for kith and kin

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

The end of the conflict has still not brought solace to the loved ones of missing persons. A large number of people yet battle to find their loved ones.Over 16,137 people are missing according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) since 1990. The ICRC has received complaints from across the country since commencing operations in Sri Lanka in 1989. "Most of the missing persons were breadwinners," ICRC spokesperson Sarasi Wijerathne said. A majority of these families eek a hand to mouth existence.

The ICRC launched a Family Need Assessment (FNA) program to support the families of missing persons. It has completed assessments in nine districts including Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya.

"Around 375 families in the North, South, East, Western and Central provinces and in 12 districts were selected for the study. So far we have spoken to 177 families. We will complete the assessment in June," said Wijerathne.

Of the missing persons around 5200 are service personnel of the tri-services and Police. Among the missing persons around 831 are women and 1,583 were minors. "We will prepare a report based on the findings of the assessment to be handed over to the government as a confidential document and it will help the government to address the needs of these families," she said.

"What have been revealed so far from the assessment is that the foremost need is to ascertain the state of their missing relatives," said Wijeratne. "As in most cases the missing person being the breadwinner of the family the economic needs also have become a priority, she said.

According to data these families need legal and administrative support. "They have to resolve matters related to pensions, property disputes and many such cases," she added.

ICRC Director Operations Dominik Stillhart on a five-day visit to Sri Lanka. pic: icrc.org

For these people it is a matter of waiting for kith and kin. This has given rise to the need of psychological support as well," she explained.

The spokesperson explained it has been ICRC's experience with families of missing persons in other countries such as Nepal as well. "It will also allow the ICRC to respond to these families," she added.

This is some thing the ICRC cannot do on its own. We can support the government in its endeavours for these families. What actually needs to solve this matter is a long term sustained political commitment," she said.

The ICRC has carried out several interactive sessions with government officials, representatives of NGOs in counseling to learn more about supporting the families of the missing, especially by helping them cope with uncertainty and loss.