The government in Parliament presented the Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions), (Amendment) Bill to provide for the issue of ‘Certificate of Absence’ for missing persons on Tuesday (July 5). Chief Government Whip and Minister Gayantha Karunathilake presented the Bill. The Bill provides for “the registration of persons reported missing as a result of the conflict which took place in the Northern and Eastern Provinces or its aftermath or political unrest or civil disturbances or enforced disappearances or of members of the armed forces or Police identified as missing in action”. As of the Bill, if a person is reported missing and has not been heard of for a period exceeding one year due to above mentioned reasons, a relative of such a person can apply to register such person as “missing” and to have issued to him a ‘Certificate of Absence’. The applications must be forwarded to the Registrar General or the District Registrar. After going through the stipulated procedure in the Bill, the Registrar General or the District Registrar will issue the ‘Certificate of Absence’ after entering such particulars in the ‘Register of Missing Persons’. The certificate can be used by the relative who applied for it to apply for benefits under any social welfare scheme, to temporarily manage the property and assets of the missing person, act as a provisional guardian for dependent children of the missing person. It can also be used to make representation before executive, administrative and judicial authorities on behalf of the missing person. The Certificate of Absence is valid for two years. Thereafter, the District Registrar can either extend the period of the Certificate or ask the relative to apply for a Certificate of Death.
