War-affected Tamils searching for their loved ones who are victims of enforced disappearances say local private and government banks have let them down as they are unable to carry out any financial transactions.
They accuse the banks have banned them from taking forward financial transactions and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has not come forward to remove that ban and ensure their financial well-being and not answering their grievances.
Local banks are refusing to accept the certificate issued by the Office for Missing Persons (OMP) to the families whose loved ones were victims of enforced disappearances in the war-torn Wanni region, in the Northern Province.
The families of those enforced disappeared persons, the banks are refusing to accept the ‘Certificate of Absence’ issued by the OMP.
Now, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has written to the CBSL calling for a report on the action taken to put an end to the local banks’ refusal to accept the certificate issued by the OMP as proof for conducting financial transactions.
Even after 15 of the brutal civil war coming to an end in May 2009, many families are unable to access the bank accounts held by or in the name of those who are victims of enforced disappearances.
Such a situation has pushed numerous Tamil families into severe financial crises, unable to carry out financial transactions and use the money lying in the banks.
HRCSL secretary Ranjith Uyangoda in his letter to the Governor of CBSL Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has sought a report from him on the issue and the action taken to the Director of the Commission’s Investigation and Supervising Unit by 14 January.
But even after the deadline was well passed, the report from the CBSL has not been sent to the HRCSL. However, reports say the Central Bank has taken some action on the 15th in this regard although no official report has been sent to the commission.
In their letter, the HRCSL has made it clear not accepting the OMP’s “Certificate of Absence’ has put the war-affected Tamils very much.
In their letter titled “Journey to investigate to protect the Human Rights of the people in Mullaitivu” dated the January 02, 2025, the HRCSL has appraised the CBSL, they have observed and identified, the non-acceptance of the certificate as one of the serious issues affecting the victims lives.
“Last December, when officials of the HRCSL were conducting an investigation in Mullaitivu, local banks ignoring the Certificate of Absence issued by the OMP was specifically observed. Due to this, the family members of the disappeared persons faced serious issues in carrying forward their banking and financial business”.
The CBSL in what they claim to be first action in this regard has sent an email to the Sri Lanka Banking Association (SLBA) seeking to know the reason for refusing to accept the said certificate issued by the OMP.
They have been asked to reply before the 21 January deadline.
In their email, the CBSL has sought their detailed replies regarding why the ‘Certificate of Absence’ was not accepted as a proper document of evidence and what other documents they look forward to enable the families of the victims of enforced disappearances need to produce for carrying forward their banking and financial transactions.
The Central Bank email has been sent to all the public and private bank heads.
HRCSL has not commented on the reasons for the delay from the CBSL sought in their communication after their investigation team visited Mullaitivu.
Tamils in the North and East have rejected the OMP since the day it was formed by an Act of Parliament on June 22, 2016 and established on February 28, 2018.
“The Office on Missing Persons is a permanent and independent state institution tasked with searching for the truth regarding the fate of the missing and disappeared in Sri Lanka and protecting the rights and interests of the victims and their families,” its official website says.
Despite thousands of petitions with compelling evidence being handed over to the OMP, the office has not even found a single missing person to date all these seven years.
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