Office on Missing Persons Act No. 14 of 2016 (Sri Lanka)

Summary

Established the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) tasked with searching for and clarifying the fate of missing persons, to make recommendations on reparations and to coordinate with families. Criticised by Tamil diaspora as lacking investigative powers, independence from the executive, and prosecutorial authority. The OMP cannot determine criminal responsibility.

Relevance to the diaspora

Tamil diaspora organisations have engaged cautiously with the OMP, submitting case files for disappeared family members while simultaneously advocating for a stronger international accountability mechanism; many diaspora groups argue the OMP is inadequate without accompanying criminal justice processes.

Key provisions

• s.3 — establishment and independence of OMP
• s.8 — mandate to search, inquire and clarify fates
• s.10 — power to examine documents and persons
• s.13 — reparations recommendations to President

Primary source

Related entries

• → International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 2006 (UN)
• → UN Basic Principles on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation 2005 (van Boven/Bassiouni Principles) (UN)
• → UN Human Rights Council Resolution 46/1 (2021) — Sri Lanka Accountability (UN)