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Former Sri Lankan navy chief interviewed by CID over abductions

The former Sri Lankan navy chief was on Wednesday summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over abductions that are believed to have taken place during his time in the job, the Daily Mirror reported. 
The abductions are reported to have taken place between 2006 - 2008 and included the disappearance of 11 people in 2008, the paper added. 
The navy is also reported to have been operating a secret navy unit at the time. 
Highlighting the sheer number of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka and the lack of justice for such crimes, the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances last year called for “international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators” to take part in any accountability mechanism. 
“A number of initiatives had been set up in the past with the objective of addressing the phenomenon of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka,” the Working Group said in a report, listing the various government initiatives. “All of the above-mentioned mechanisms have been characterized by problems, ineffectiveness and biases," the report added. 
In August, presenting its report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the UN Working Group said there were over 5700 registered cases of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka and that the practice continues today. 
 

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