- Rasika Somarathna
The Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons has proposed to the government to issue a 'certificate of absence' to relatives of individuals reported as missing during the conflict until conclusive evidence is unearthed about what happened to them. The certificate of absence will entitle the holder to the same rights enjoyed by the holder of a certificate of death, the head of the Commission, former High Court Judge, Maxwell Paranagama said.
"Most people, whose relatives are missing, believe they are still alive and strive to find them. We are trying to help them find what happened to their loved ones. Issuing a death certificate will hurt them. So we are suggesting the issuance of a certificate of absence," Paranagama said.
He said that steps are taken, including the drafting of laws, to issue such a certificate to the next-of-kin of those deemed missing during the conflict.
He said the commission discussed the matter at length with the ICRC and the UNDP. He said the ICRC came up with the proposal at the outset.
The certificate of absence was used in several countries where there has been a large number of missing people, Paranagama said. The Commission on Sunday concluded its first public sitting in the East with 129 people from Chenkallady, Vakarai and Batticaloa making submissions.
It described the response from the people during its sittings in the East as very encouraging. The commission has so far received around 16,000 complaints out of which 5,600 are from families of security forces personnel. The commission will launch a website enabling the public to access to information on the commission's work.
The commission earlier had held two public hearings in Jaffna and Kilinochchi.
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