Dokument #1040821
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
According to Reuters, the Mothers Front was
formed in July 1990 by women whose children or husbands were killed
or disappeared in a 1980s Sri Lankan government campaign against
the People's Liberation Front (Janatha Vimukti Peramuna, or JVP) (8
Feb. 1991). The founders of the front were two Sri Lankan Freedom
Party MPs, Mahinda Rajapakse and Managala Samaraweera (Inter Press
Service 18 Feb. 1993)
The objectives of the Mothers Front were
twofold: first, the creation of "an independent commission to
investigate the disappearance of thousands of people since 1987,"
and second, the initiation of "an inquiry into [the fate of the
disappeared], compensation for dependents of victims and help for
relatives from social services" (Reuters 19 Feb. 1991). The Mothers
Front also demanded that "the government remove "all oppressive
laws and disband paramilitary death squads [and] reveal the names
of all political prisoners..." (Japan Economic Newswire 19 Feb.
1991).
The first and the second conventions of the
Mothers Front were held in February 1991 and June 1992 respectively
(ibid.; Inter Press Service 23 June 1992)
Sources currently available to the DIRB
provide information on the activities of the Mothers Front during
the period 1990 to 1993. Following the second convention of the
Mothers Front, "about 400 men and women," some presumably members
of the Mothers Front, "stormed a Hindu Temple to Kaliamma, the
goddess of revenge, demanding to be allowed in to pray for the
punishment of those who took their children and husbands" (Reuters
23 June 1992). The Guardian refers to regular marches of
front members during the period 1990 to early 1992 (9 Jan. 1992).
As well, Reuters reports on a 1993 Mothers Front-organized sit-down
protest near Colombo (5 Oct. 1993).
Inter Press Service states that the Mothers
Front had little success in "pressuring the government to disclose
information regarding whether or not people on their list are alive
or dead" (18 Feb. 1993).
Sources currently available to the DIRB do
not provide information on the activities of the Mothers Front
since 1993.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
The Guardian [Manchester]. 9
January 1992. Gabriella Gamini. "Gabriella Gamini Reports from Sri
Lanka on the Bereaved Women Trying to Track Down Their Sons'
Killers and to Trace Those Still Missing." (NEXIS)
Inter Press Service. 23 June 1992. Rita
Sebastian. "Sri Lanka: Mothers Mourn Children, Vow Vengeance."
(NEXIS)
. 18 February 1993. "Sri Lanka: Three
Years Later, Mothers Still Wait for Loved Ones." (NEXIS)
Japan Economic Newswire. 19 February
1991. "Asian News; Sri Lankan Mothers Demand Their Sons Back."
(NEXIS)
. 14 February 1991. "Asian News; Sri
Lankan Gov't Bans Demonstrations." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 5 October 1993. BC Cycle.
"Protest by Parents of Sri Lanka's Missing." (NEXIS)
. 23 June 1992. BC Cycle. "Sri Lankan
Women Want to Find Missing Relatives." (NEXIS)
. 19 February 1991. BC Cycle. Minoli de
Soysa. "Sri Lankan Women Ask Government to Find Their Missing Men."
(NEXIS)
. 8 February 1991. BC Cycle. "Sri Lankan
Mothers' Front Demands Inquiry into Disappearances." (NEXIS)
The Guardian [Manchester]. 9
January 1992. Gabriella Gamini. "Gabriella Gamini Reports from Sri
Lanka on the Bereaved Women Trying to Track Down Their Sons' Killer
and to Trace Those Still Missing." (NEXIS)
Inter Press Service. 23 June 1992. Rita
Sebastian. "Sri Lanka: Mothers Mourn Children, Vow Vengeance."
(NEXIS)
. 18 February 1993. "Sri Lanka: Three
Years Later, Mothers Still Wait for Loved Ones." (NEXIS)
Japan Economic Newswire. 19 February
1991. "Asian News; Sri Lankan Mothers Demand Their Sons Back."
(NEXIS)
. 14 February 1991. "Asian News; Sri
Lankan Gov't Bans Demonstrations." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 5 October 1993. BC Cycle.
"Protest by Parents of Sri Lanka's Missing." (NEXIS)
. 23 June 1992. BC Cycle. "Sri Lankan
Women Want to Find Missing Relatives." (NEXIS)
. 19 February 1991. BC Cycle. Minoli de
Soysa. "Sri Lankan Women Ask Government to Find Their Missing Men."
(NEXIS)
. 8 February 1991. BC Cycle. "Sri Lankan
Mothers' Front Demands Inquiry into Disappearances." (NEXIS)