Sri Lanka President signs Gazette to operationalize Office on Missing Persons

Sept 13, 2017 (LBO) - Sri Lanka has issued a gazette notification under the presidents signature establishing an office of missing persons and its functions, a statement said. President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation signed the Gazette Notification to operationalize the Office of the Missing Persons.

The Office of the Missing Persons (establishment, administration and discharge of functions) Act No. 14 of 2016 and amended by Act No.

9 of 2017 comes into implementation and operation with effect from 15th September. This marks a significant step taken in Sri Lanka’s path to reconciliation. The OMP has taken nearly two years to come into being even though the minority Tamils have been agitating for its setting up with strong support from the domestic and international human rights lobbies and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).