Office on Missing Persons

The Bill to establish the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) was presented in Parliament on 22 June 2016 and the Office on Missing Persons (Establishment, Administration, and Discharge of Functions) Act, No. 14 of 2016 (OMP Act) was passed in Parliament on 11 August 2016. On 28 February 2018, seven commissioners and a chairperson were appointed based on the recommendations of the Constitutional Council.

The establishment of the OMP marks a significant milestone in the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka to address the issues of the missing and disappeared. Successive governments set out measures to investigate disappearances, including through appointing commissions of inquiry or ad-hoc mechanisms with limited mandates. While making critical contributions in the way of recommendations, these previous mechanisms were unable to provide answers to the many thousands of families searching for their loved ones.

As a permanent and independent state institution, the OMP is responsible for clarifying the fate and whereabouts of persons who went missing or disappeared in connection with the conflict, political unrest, or civil disturbances, or as a result of enforced disappearances.

The OMP Act in Section 27 defines a missing person as a person whose fate or whereabouts are reasonably believed to be unknown and such person is reasonably believed to be unaccounted for and missing in connection with the conflict, political unrest or civil disturbances or as a result of enforced disappearance. The OMP’s mandate is not limited to any particular period, community or region. The OMP Act in Section 10(1) has an explicit mandate to:

Search for missing and disappeared persons

(a) Search for and trace missing persons and identify appropriate mechanisms for the same and to clarify the circumstances in which such persons went missing

Make recommendations to authorities

(b) Make recommendations to the relevant authorities towards addressing the incidence of missing persons

Protect the rights and interests of victims and their families

(c) Protect the rights and interests of missing persons and their relatives as provided for in the Act

Identify avenues of redress

(d) Identify avenues of redress to which missing persons and relatives of missing persons are entitled and to inform the missing person (if found alive) or relative of such missing person of same

Compile a database of the missing and disappeared

(e) Collate data related to missing persons obtained by processes presently being carried out, or which were previously carried out, by other institutions, organizations, Government Departments and Commissions of Inquiry and Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry and centralize all available data within the database established under the Act

Other activities to achieve objectives

(f) Do all such other necessary things that may become necessary to achieve the objectives under the Act

The Chairperson and members of the board of the OMP are appointed based on the recommendations of the Constitutional Council. The Constitutional Council follows a selection process that includes the issuance of a public advertisement calling for suitable candidates to apply. The OMP Act requires that the Board reflect the pluralistic nature of Sri Lankan society, with prior experience in fact-finding or investigation, human rights law, international humanitarian law, humanitarian response, or possess other qualifications relevant to the discharge of functions of the OMP.

	Mr. Mahesh Katulanda Present Chairperson (December 2021) Mr. Mahesh Katulanda holds a multi-disciplinary background such as legal, humanitarian intervention, management and research. In addition to chairmanship of OMP, he is currently appointed to the Board of LCBF from September 2021. He is a Senior Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka (December 1995).
	Dr. Ajith Tennakoon Present Member of the Board Dr. Tennakoon is a highly accomplished Forensic Medicine specialist with MD, DLM, DFM-RCPA, MFFLM-RCP, and FFCFM qualifications. He served as Chief Judicial Medical Officer, Senior Lecturer at KDU, and Past President of multiple professional societies, contributing immensely to forensic practice in Sri Lanka.
	Mrs. Sithy Dane Arfa Thassim Present Member of the Board (May 2021) Mrs. Thassim served as a High Court Judge before retiring in 2015. She was the first female Muslim lawyer in the Southern Province and served as Magistrate, District Court Judge, High Court Judge, and Civil Appellate High Court Judge across multiple provinces.
	Mr. Thambiaiah Yogarajah Present Member of the Board (May 2021) Mr. Yogarajah holds a Master’s in Human Rights and Moral Ethics from Victoria Global University, India. He previously served as a senior official of the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons (PCICMP).
	Mr. P. M. W. Sampath Perera Present Member of the Board (August 2022) Mr. Perera holds multi-disciplinary experience in legal, commercial, and research fields. In addition to his position at OMP, he maintains an active legal practice.
	Mr. Madhava Jayawardhana Present Member of the Board (August 2022) Mr. Jayawardhana practices Civil, Criminal, and Commercial Law in Sri Lanka’s higher courts. He holds LL.B and LL.M from the University of West London and a Master’s in International Relations. He is also involved in human rights and fundamental rights litigation.
	Mr. Jayantha Wickramasinghe Present Member of the Board

Tracing and Investigation Unit

This Unit is responsible for conducting investigations to search for missing and disappeared persons who fall within the OMP’s mandate, identify their whereabouts and clarify the circumstances in which they went missing. The OMP has the authority to act as an observer at excavations, exhumations and other proceedings of suspected gravesites.

Legal, Policy and Research Unit

OMP assists the OMP with its legal and policy direction. It provides legal and policy advice to the OMP on carrying out its duties and functions, conducting investigations, and cooperating with law enforcement agencies and the courts. Further, the Unit provides recommendations on areas for legal and policy reform, protecting the rights and interests of victims and their families, and ensuring non-recurrence. It is also responsible for preparing rules, guidelines, policies and standard operating procedures for the OMP.

Victim and Family Support Unit

OMP ensures that data relating to missing and disappeared persons are recorded, as it is the first point of contact for families of the missing and disappeared. The Unit has been designed to provide holistic support and ensure the well-being of the family members. This includes assisting families to access administrative and welfare services and making referrals for specialized psychosocial care. The Unit works towards integrating a psychosocial responsive and victim-centered approach when developing policies, systems, and strategies of the OMP to prevent or ameliorate further emotional distress. Assisted by the OMP staff at the Head Office, the Regional Offices collaborate with a wider network of support to help address psychosocial considerations of families of missing and disappeared persons.

Protection Unit

The responsibility of protecting the rights of victims and witnesses who face threats and reprisals is the primary duty of this Unit. In addition, it follows up on complaints made and develops protocols and strategies related to ensuring protection for victims and witnesses at risk. Furthermore, this Unit liaises with state and non-state actors to ensure the safety of victims, witnesses, and other collaborators of the OMP who face threats and intimidation. This Unit also ensures the security of the OMP staff and its premises.

Data Management Unit

The OMP is required to collate data concerning missing and disappeared persons who fall within its mandate. The Unit is consolidating data relating to missing and disappeared persons in a database, using information from previous Commissions of Inquiry, other state bodies, civil society organizations, and complaints received by the OMP. The consolidated database can be regularly updated with new data and the OMP can use this database to carry out other tasks effectively, for instance, to conduct investigations, carry out effective case management and make referrals to relevant authorities. The consolidated database can be regularly updated with new data and the OMP can use this database when conducting investigations, carrying out effective case management, and making referrals.

Communications and Outreach Unit

OMP creates greater public awareness and understanding of the mandate and work of the OMP. Through developing awareness material and campaigns, and organizing events and communication strategies, it focuses on advancing the rights of the missing and disappeared through engaging multiple stakeholders, including media and state officials. The Unit works towards ensuring that families of the missing and disappeared, as well as organizations and individuals working with them and the general public have a better understanding of the OMP’s role and services.

Human Resources and Administration Unit

OMP manages the human resource and administrative functions of the OMP. It is responsible for overseeing the OMP's day-to-day operations, logistics, human resources, training, and office support. In addition, it ensures staff welfare and development.

Finance and Procurement Unit

OMP manages all financial and procurement processes of the OMP. It provides support in terms of maintenance of fixed assets, preparation of budgets and accounts, and monitors the OMP’s compliance to practices of financial regulations.

• The OMP/the Commission has established its head office in Colombo, and following the consultations with the public, regional offices were opened in Matara, Mannar, Jaffna, Batticaloa, and on August 2021, in Kilinochchi as well.
• The previous commissions were mainly involved in gathering information from various sources, responding to new complaints lodged by the families and translating them into a simplified database; while observing the new incoming complaints. And spent more time on establishing the office, recruiting qualified staff, and capacity-building of the officials in the first three years.
• Based on the information obtained from the families and relatives of the missing persons, in 2020, the OMP published the details of 21,374 complaints received, which is called “the provisional list”. The general public was requested in assisting to furnish the records related to their complaints. Accordingly, The progress made by OMP as of 30th of November 2023 as follows

  No	Description	Sub total	Total
  01	Total Number of Complaints / Cases received by the OMP initially		21,374
  02	No. of Cases with missing military personnel/ Cases with double entries		6,386
  03	The number of active complaints / Cases		21,374 - 6,386 = 14,988
  04	Total number of preliminary inquiries concluded		4,795
  	In 2020	184
  	In 2021	95
  	In 2022	2,111
  	In 2023	2,405
  05	Balance cases to be inquired		12,341
  	Cases reported with the date of missing between 2000-2021 – Phase I	1,230
  	Cases reported with the date of missing between 1980-2000 – Phase II	3,173
  	Cases reported with the date of missing before 1980 + the date is not clear – Phase III	5,278 + 512 = 5,790

  Further details about inquiries

• Number of the complaints of Missing Persons

OMP is charged with a wide range of functions and duties which include;

• Issuance of a certificate to relatives of missing and disappeared persons to enable the Department of the Registrar General to issue Certificates of Absence (CoAs);
• Making recommendations to the relevant authorities to ensure non-recurrence;
• Providing recommendations to the office on reparations to grant family revival payment.
• Providing or facilitating the provision of administrative assistance and welfare services that include psycho-social support to the relatives of the missing and disappeared;
• Developing and enforcing a database that will include all particulars concerning missing and disappeared persons;
• Creating public awareness of the causes, incidence, and effects of missing and disappeared persons, and facilitating support among the general public to fulfill their needs
• Protecting the rights and interests of missing and disappeared persons and their relatives
• Identifying proper avenues of redress for missing and disappeared persons
• Collection data related to missing and disappeared persons from existing sources and centralize all available information in a database.

• OMP Financial Report from 2023
• OMP Annual Reports from 2023
• OMP ACT
• OMP Annual Reports from 2022
• OMP Annual Reports from 2021
• OMP Annual Reports from 2020
• OMP Annual Reports from 2019
• OMP Annual Reports from 2018
• FAQ Booklet
• Gazetted Search Guidelines 2133/36
• Comments on the Draft Guiding Principles for the search for disappeared persons.
• Follow-up on the visits of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
• Disappearances to Peru and Sri Lanka: Report of the Working Group on Enforced or
• Involuntary Disappearances
• OMP Road Map

If you wish to request for information as per the Right to Information Act, No. 12 of 2016 please contact the numbers below: