sri lanka's commissions of inquiry - Law & Society Trust

Death certificates to be issued to all whose disappearance had
been confirmed by the Commission, dispensing with the need
for a certificate from the Grama Niladharis. 206 (i)
Even though Government had made it possible for them to have a
person registered as dead if he had not been seen for over a year,
this had not been brought to the notice of the family members
of the disappeared. It is recommended that action should be
taken at the level of the Divisional Administration, to make this
development, well known.
Publicity be given to the Registration of Deaths (Temporary
Provisions) Act no. 58 of 1998 through the media and Grama
Niladharies. V.15
Insurance Steps to ensure the release of money in bank accounts and
moneys due on life insurance policies to the heirs of disappeared
persons. 207 (I.6ii)
Central, Final
(14)
NE Final (64)
All Island,
Final (87)
Southern, Final
(170)
1997
1997
2001
1997
206.
Three Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) Acts have been enacted in 1995, 1998 and 2005 respectively. These Acts were enacted to
address the practical difficulties impeding the registration of deaths which occurred during the course of the ‘civil disturbances that took place
due to terrorist and subversive activities in Sri Lanka’. The 2005 Act provides for an application for a death certificate to be made ‘where any
person is reported missing and presumed to be dead as he has not been heard of for a period exceeding one year by those who would naturally
have heard of him had he been alive and his disappearance is attributable to any terrorist or subversive activity or civil commotion which has been
taking place within Sri Lanka’. While originally the Act of 1995 only provided for certificates to be issued when accompanied by a report from
a Grama Niladhari, the 1998 and 2005 Acts add to this by providing for issuance of certificates on the findings of a Commission of Inquiry.
207.
Once a Death Certificate has been obtained, there is, reportedly, no problem collecting on the insurance.
132