The people, especially youth had disappeared during the conflict in the North and East, the 88/89 and 1971 insurgencies and during various times.

He said it had been revealed that over 20,000 persons have gone missing during the recent times and there was no legal provisions to issue a death certificates for the missing persons. The government is planning to issue certificates of absence to those persons and the approval of the Cabinet had been received to this project. This system is currently being implemented in various other countries such as Belgium, Argentina and Switzerland. New legislation would be introduced soon for this purpose and the draft bill is being prepared at the Legal Draftsman's Department.

The minister said that the spouse and children could produce the Certificate of Absence and be entitled for a pension and other benefits received by the widows of the dead. If the missing person returns after his family members had obtained pensions entitled from the Widows and Orphans Pensions Fund, the payment would be discontinued thereafter. We are now discussing steps that should be taken if the disappeared persons return alive after the Certificate of Absence had been issued.

The minister said so while speaking during the debate on the Private Member motion presented by UNP Matara District MP Buddhika Pathirana. His motion sought a resolution of Parliament that immediate investigations be carried out to find out whether the persons who disappeared due to various reasons during the past period of about three decades of war in the North and East are still alive or not and if they are not alive, death certificates should be issued for them.

(Dailynews.lk)