UN High Commissioner meets protesting relatives of the disappeared in Jaffna

07 February 2016

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, met with family members of the disappeared who were staging a protest as he arrived in Jaffna on Sunday.

The family members, who were holding photographs of their loved ones who had disappeared, were outside the Chief Minister of the Northern Province’s office as the UN Human Rights chief arrived.

“They could have shown us our children or they could have given us a decision,” said the weeping mother of a disappeared son. “They must give us an answer today. They have to give us our children backi

“Are they alive or dead?” she asked, as Sri Lankan soldiers watched on in the background. “They have to answer that at least. What else are we asking for?”

“We might as well die,” she cried. “There’s no other option. There’s no point in living without our children.”

“He (the High Commissioner) at least must search and give us back our children,” said the mother of another. “They have our children it’s not like they don’t."

Speaking through a translator the High Commissioner told the women that finding the whereabouts of those who had disappeared was an important issue for them and said he had set aside time to meet with them during his trip.