UN human rights body confirms visit to Sri Lanka

Geneva: The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has confirmed that it will visit Sri Lanka this year.

The Working Group, which is currently reviewing almost 400 cases of enforced disappearance from 30 countries during its current meeting in Geneva, from 6 - 15 May will visit Sri Lanka from 3 - 12 August 2015.

The UN body will discuss the forthcoming visit to Sri Lanka and few other countries including Peru and Croatia during the current meeting in Geneva.

The expert body will exchange information on these individual cases and other relevant issues with State delegations, relatives of those who have disappeared, civil society representatives and national human rights institutions.

The group’s five independent experts will also discuss thematic issues related to enforced disappearances and examine allegations received regarding obstacles encountered in the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The Working Group, which is comprised of five independent experts from all regions of the world, primarily assists families in determining the fate or whereabouts of their family members who are reportedly disappeared.

The UN Body had several times sought approval from the previous Sri Lankan Government to undertake a mission but never received approval for a visit. However, the current Government has approved the visit for August this year.