Families of the Disappeared (FoD) have expressed deep disappointment over the continued silence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, ahead of the 35th Annual Commemoration of the Disappeared scheduled for October 27 at the Monument for the Disappeared in Raddoluwa, Seeduwa.
FoD President Brito Fernando said that despite multiple written invitations sent on October 13 and October 21, the President has not responded — neither confirming participation in the event nor offering a date to meet the families of victims who vanished during the 1989 southern violence and the civil war.
“You promised before the election to wipe away the tears of these family members, but continued silence has caused frustration and pain mixed with anger,” Fernando wrote in his most recent letter.
This year’s event, limited to about one hour, will be followed by a peaceful protest outside the Ministry of Justice and the Presidential Secretariat, demanding accountability and immediate action on two key issues:
- A written response from the Minister of Justice on the Rs. 200,000 relief payment promised from a Rs. 1 billion budget allocation for 5,000 affected families.
- A confirmed date for President Dissanayake to meet the families of the disappeared in person.
Fernando said the temporary payment would help families survive “until the truth is revealed and justice is done.”
The FoD, which has led the campaign for truth and reparations for nearly four decades, noted that similar invitations in 2024 and on June 26, 2025 — International Day in Support of Victims of Torture — also went unanswered. (Newswire)
