UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein today visited Sri Lanka’s war-affected Northern Province and held talks with top officials as well as the relatives of missing persons. 

Al Hussein, who arrived in Sri Lanka just yesterday on a four-day official visit, first met with the Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran in Jaffna this morning.

The discussion held between the two at the chief minister’s office lasted around one hour and touched on topics such as disappearances during the war, political prisoners, war-widow in the North, regional development affairs and resettlement issue, according to provincial Fisheries Minister P. Deniswaran.

As the UN high commissioner was preparing to leave the CM’s office and observe the situation of displaced persons in the Jaffna District, he was met with a protest staged by the relative of persons who went missing during the war. 

They presented their grievances to the Al Hussein, who in turn assured them that he will discuss the issue with the President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

The UN human rights chief also met with the Governor of the Northern Province H.M.G.S. Palihakkara and Jaffna District Secretary Nagalingam Vedanayagamat the Governor’s Office in Jaffna while they reportedly discussed resettlement, development and the issues currently prevailing in the North.  

Afterwards the high commissioner joined a group of UN representatives to monitor the situation of resettled persons in Jaffna District.