Tamil families of the disappeared have requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk to meet with them and visit Mullivaikkal during his visit to Sri Lanka later this month.
In a letter to the human rights chief, the families have urged Türk to meet with them and hold a "direct discussion". The families explained that they have tried to meet with Turk on a number of occasions and will miss the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council session in order to meet with Turk on the island.
The families have also requested Türk to visit Mullivaikkal, the site of the 2009 Tamil genocide, where 169,796 Tamils remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead.
Tamil families of the disappeared have been protesting across the North-East calling for the truth about their relatives who were forcibly disappeared by the Sri Lankan military. The protests began in 2017 but the families have not been given any answers to date. Over 300 parents have passed away during their campaign for justice.
"As families who have endured immeasurable loss and continue to suffer in the absence of answers, we believe your engagement with us, and your willingness to witness the ground realities, will bring renewed hope and direction to our long-standing struggle," the letter stated.
Speaking at the UNHRC's 57th session, Türk said in Sri Lanka, "a prevailing sense of impunity impedes meaningful progress and encourages continued violations and more corruption."
"The absence of accountability for past and present violations is a fundamental problem, illustrated by the lack of meaningful progress in emblematic cases," he added.
Türk who is reportedly expected to arrive on the 23rd June will be visiting Colombo, Jaffna and Trincomalee.
See the full text of their letter here.
