UN tells families of missing to stay silent on meeting

The United Nations (UN) has told the families of those missing in Sri Lanka not to speak to the media regarding their meetings with the visiting United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances held today. When journalists asked Sandhya Eknaligoda, the wife of missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda regarding a meeting she had late this evening with the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances at the UN office in Colombo, Eknaligoda said that she could not comment. She said that the the UN told her not to speak to the media and that the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances would brief the media next week.

“I told them about by concerns. The meeting went well. They will announce their response next week,” she said. When asked by journalists who took part in the meeting, Eknaligoda refused to comment nor did she wish to state who in the UN told her not to speak to the media. “They have come here to carry out a duty and that will be done at the highest levels so we need to listen to what they say,” she said. The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances began meetings in Colombo this week as part of its official visit to Sri Lanka which will conclude on 18 November. During its mission, the UN experts will study the measures adopted by the State to prevent and eradicate enforced disappearances, including issues related to truth, justice and reparation for the victims of enforced disappearances. They will also gather information on cases of enforced disappearances, including those pending before the Working Group. The Working Group will travel to Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Batticaloa, Matale, Trincomalee, Ampara and Galle. They will meet government officials from the Ministry of Law and Order, the Attorney General Department , Ministry of Justice, Defence , Resettlement, Health including Judicial medical officers and they will also meet the Commanders of the Sri Lanka Army and Navy and IGP and the Police officers . They will also meet with members of Parliament and local authorities, the Governors of the Northern, Eastern and Southern Provinces as well as the Chief Ministers of the Northern and Eastern Provinces.