Investigations into Missing Persons Must Reach a Conclusion – Minister Harshana Nanayakkara

Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara has stated that issues relating to missing persons remain unresolved despite the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009, largely due to the lack of political commitment shown by previous governments.

The Minister made these remarks during a discussion held at the Kilinochchi District Secretariat with civil society representatives and public officials.

Addressing the gathering, Nanayakkara emphasized that investigations into missing persons must be completed and justice delivered to affected families. He noted that although the current government has been in office for only about one and a half years, significant efforts have been made to strengthen the mechanisms responsible for addressing missing persons cases.

According to the Minister, the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), which had become largely inactive in the past, has been revitalized over the last year through the recruitment of necessary staff and the allocation of additional funding.

He acknowledged that many families had concerns regarding both previous governments and institutions tasked with investigating disappearances. However, he argued that the political environment and the manner in which those institutions were managed contributed to the delays.

“If previous governments had the political will, these matters could have been resolved long ago. The war ended in 2009, yet issues concerning missing persons still remain. This indicates that there was no genuine intention to bring these investigations to a conclusion,” he said.

The Minister stressed that both the North and South suffered greatly during the three-decade conflict, resulting in significant loss of life and hardship. He said it is essential to build reconciliation, trust, and lasting peace to ensure that such a conflict never occurs again.

He further stated that providing justice to families of the missing and completing the investigations remain key priorities of the current administration. Efforts are also underway to release lands in the Northern Province and reopen roads that were previously inaccessible, he added.

Nanayakkara emphasized that there should no longer be any room for treating Tamil people as second-class citizens and that restoring trust among the people of the North is a crucial responsibility of the government.

“It is not easy to heal a society that has been poisoned by racism, religious extremism, and class divisions. Nevertheless, the government is committed to working towards that goal,” he said.

Responding to a question from a journalist, the Minister also announced that the government intends to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and replace it with a new law focused on public welfare and genuine national security concerns.

He clarified that the proposed legislation would be designed to combat terrorism effectively rather than suppress individuals or specific groups. The new bill is expected to be presented within the next two months, he added.