E Mail: Nandmana@sltnet - LK: TH RD

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Volume : 4

Issue : 55
E Mail : nandmana@sltnet.lk
www.humanrightsofficekandy.org

The international day for the disappeared


scheduled for the 30th August was
commemorated by the Parents and the Families of the disappeared on the 23rd August 2013 at the
Human Rights office in Kandy with an inter-religious ceremony.

Majority of the Parents & the Families of


the disappeared in the Central Province
being Buddhist, Ven. Balakaduwe Piyadassi
thero delivered a sermon, encouraging the
families of the disappeared to heal their
wounds and face the challenges that they
encounter. This was followed by the Dane
"Alms Giving". The Buddhist monks,
Buddhist nuns, Catholic priests and nuns
came in procession from Padiwatte road
junction along with the families of the disappeared to the Human Rights office.

Parents & the families of the disappeared served lunch which they prepared to the Buddhists &
Catholic clergy with the wish that those who were made to disappear few years ago would be
rewarded according to their belief.

More than 54 Parents and families of the


disappeared of the Central province are being
empowered and assisted by the Human Rights
Office in Kandy during the past years. The
main focus being "Healing" as their
hopes gradually fade away.
The Organization of Parents and Family Members of the Disappeared was formed in Kandy by a
group of activists and members of some families of victims during the heat of the horrendous
massacres perpetrated by the state in the south of Sri Lanka in 1989-90 with the JVP insurrection. The
families of the disappeared faced many challenges including threats to their own lives; however they
continued their campaign and
mobilized forces in the country
against the mass killings and
disappearances while drawing the
attention of the international
community.

Now they are a forgotten force but


they continue their struggle for justice
to their family members. In Kandy
they work as a team organizing
themselves to move forward and
empower the parents and families of
those disappeared in the north of Sri Lanka. During the last year the group visited the north on 02
occasions and listened to the families of the disappeared. As the second step they formed a young
group of counselors under the leadership of Sr. Mabel and they were trained for 03 weeks before they
were commissioned as “Counselor Friends”.

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