False fears should not be raised about the Office of Missing Persons(OMP) which does not have prosecutorial powers, Minister S.B.Dissanayake said at a media brief held at Sethsiripaya yesterday.
Minister Dissanayake also said the main objectives of the Office of Missing Persons is to search and trace missing persons, clarify the circumstances of the disappearances and facilitate their families to cope with numerous practical and psychological issues they have been suffering for.
However, Minister Dissanayake said if any criminal evidence is unearthed while tracing the disappeared, any concerned party has the freedom to use the information to seek legal action against the enforced disappearance.
Minister Dissanayake pointed out that setting up the Office of Missing Persons will protect the reputation of Sri Lanka’s military forces which has been questioned by international human rights organisations following the end of thirty years war.
The Minister said the Office of Missing Persons will look into all the disappearances of soldiers reported during the war period. He said there are 5,101 missing soldiers at present.
“The families of these soldiers don’t know what happened to them and they have not received any compensation.
They are not able to receive the pension facility as well.They do not even have a death certificate,” he pointed out.
Minister Dissanayake also said many of the reported disappearances include the LTTEers who were killed in action. He pointed out these deaths should not be included in the missing persons category if the individuals have been involved in terrorist activities.
Minister Disanayake also highlighted that there are many disappearance cases where the said victim is “staging out” a disappearance. “These people stage their disappearance and most conveniently live in foreign countries. They even raise funds for terrorist activities.
“The Office of Missing Persons can reveal such persons and their misconduct,” he added.
Minister Dissanayake also expressed his disapproval of the way in which former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is trying to raise fears in the minds of the public,the Maha Sangha and the Security Forces regarding the Office of Missing Persons.
He pointed out it was ex-President Rajapaksa who welcomed foreign examiners to participate in the Udalagama Commission and Paranagama Commissions which also dealt with missing persons.
Commenting on the series of protests launched against SAITM, Minister Dissanayake said the private medical college will not undergo any changes regarding its administration. He also said the government will employee the service of medical officers attached to military forces in case the GMOA continues to take trade union action against SAITM.
Minister Dissanayake also pointed out that trade unions should not take trade union action against government policies.
“They should fight for their rights not against government policies,”he said.