Families of the Disappeared Urge UN Rights Chief to Establish International Accountability Mechanism

24-Feb-2026

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The Association of Relatives of the Enforced Disappeared in the North and East has called on Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to establish a credible international accountability mechanism to investigate enforced disappearances and ensure justice for victims.

In a letter sent by Secretary A. Leeladevi, the association marked nine years since the commencement of their peaceful protest on February 20, 2017.

The letter highlights sustained protests, documentation efforts, and engagement with international mechanisms. It stresses that despite repeated appeals, successive governments have failed to conduct credible, impartial, and effective investigations, leaving truth, justice, and reparations unrealized.

The association further urged investigations into military officers responsible for checkpoints where relatives surrendered during the final stages of the war and called for respect for victims’ rejection of domestic mechanisms. It also appealed for support toward achieving a lasting political solution to the Tamil national question.