Clarifying the Past and Commemorating Sri Lanka's Disappeared

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Table 1: Count of Reported Disappearances by District, 1981 - 1998 District Count Percent Gampaha 209 33.4 Kandy 155 24.8 Not Reported 107 17.1 Kalutara 62 9.9 Puttalam 42 6.7 Colombo 12 1.9 Kurunegala 7 1.1 Ratnapura 6 1.0 Ampara 6 1.0 Anuradhapura 4 0.6 Matara 4 0.6 Galle 3 0.5 Hambantota 2 0.3 Monaragala 1 0.2 Badulla 1 0.2 Embilipitiya 1 0.2 Mahanuwara 1 0.2 Chilaw 1 0.2 Kegalle 1 0.2 Matale 1 0.2 Total 626 100% Source: Disappearances Database Com- piled by Families of the Disappeared, 2007
In Gampaha, Kandy, Kalatura and Puttalum, reported disappearances in 1989 are concentrated mostly between August and December that year. In particular, in Gampaha 90.6% (126/139) reported disappearances in 1989 occurred in the last six months of that year. Whereas in Kandy, 90.2% (101/112) of reported disappearances in 1989 occurred in the last half of the that year. Similarly, for Kalutara and Puttalum respectively, 90.9% (40/44) and 90.0% (27/30) of reported disappearances in 1989 occurred in the second half of they year. These geographic and temporal patterns of reported disappearances are consistent with the hypothesis that enforced disappearances in these regions were used as a specific policy to eliminate political opponents and their supporters in the lead up to the 1989 parliamentary elections. 11 Demographic Profile of Disappearance Victims & Their Families The overwhelming majority of disappearance victims reported to Families of the Disappeared were young males. As shown in Figure 2, 38.2% (239/626) of reported disap- 11 See, for example, Iqbal M.C.M, (2000)The Phenomena of Disappearances in Sri Lanka in Law & Society Trust, State of Human Rights in Sri Lanka, 2000. Colombo, Sri Lanka 24
Page 2 and 3: By the Way Side This wreath With no
Page 5 and 6: Clarifying the Past & Commemorating
Page 7 and 8: Copyright c○2007 by The Benetech
Page 9 and 10: of the Families of the Disappeared
Page 11 and 12: ochure was jointly developed by Fam
Page 13 and 14: Over the last year, disappearances
Page 15 and 16: war or a threat of war, internal po
Page 17 and 18: have been blocked and impunity has
Page 19 and 20: for quelling dissent and suppressin
Page 21 and 22: where, and by which perpetrator it
Page 23: Figure 1: Count of Reported Disappe
Page 27 and 28: Figure 2: Count of Reported Disappe
Page 29 and 30: Institutional Responsibility for Re
Page 31 and 32: These findings are consistent with
Page 33 and 34: Figure 3: Count of Reported Disappe
Page 35 and 36: tern of abuses which would arise ou
Page 37 and 38: About the Institutional Authors Fam
Page 39 and 40: Benetech’s Human Rights Data Anal
Page 41: Front Cover: Gayan Kumara, 8 years

Clarifying the Past and Commemorating Sri Lanka's Disappeared

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