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| Secretary of ARED, Mrs Leeladevi Anandanadaraja is receiving the award along with her colleague on March 11, South Korea. |
Mothers in the North and East of Sri Lanka have been protesting continuously for over 3,250 days, demanding truth and justice for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. This ongoing struggle has been led by the Association for Relatives of the Enforced Disappearances (ARED).
Recognising the significance, legitimacy, and persistence of this protest, a South Korean organisation selected ARED as the recipient of its 2026 international award.
The selection process was conducted in three stages, with a total of 17 organisations considered. In the final stage, ARED was uniquely chosen as the award recipient.
The official notification of the award was conveyed to the organization’s Secretary, Mrs. Leeladevi Anandanadaraja. Following this, she, along with another mother representing the association, travelled to South Korea to attend the award ceremony.
The event was held on March 11, 2026, in South Korea, with the participation of hundreds of Korean representatives and distinguished guests. During the ceremony, ARED was formally honoured with the award and a commemorative medal. A short documentary highlighting the mothers’ ongoing struggle was also screened.
In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Leeladevi Anandanadarajah said that this award does not belong to one individual but belongs to thousands of families who have waited for years, sometimes decades, seeking only one truth: What happened to our loved ones
ones?
Her full speech is produced below:
“Honourable guests, distinguished organisers, respected human rights defenders, friends, and comrades, I stand before you today with deep humility and profound gratitude to accept this award on behalf of the Association for the Relatives o f
the Enforced Disappearances (ARED) and, above all, on behalf of the mothers, wives,
children, and families of the disappeared in Sri Lanka.
This award does not belong to one individual. It belongs to thousands of families who have waited for years, sometimes decades, seeking only one truth: What happened to our loved ones? It belongs to mothers who protest under the burning sun and heavy rain, holding photographs of their sons and daughters, refusing to let memory be erased.
ARED was formed in 2017 as part of the Mothers of the Disappeared movement in Sri Lanka's North and East. Since then, we have continuously protested for more than 3,250 days, demanding truth, justice, and accountability for enforced disappearances.
Our struggle is peaceful, persistent, and rooted in dignity. We ask not for revenge, but for answers. We ask not for privilege, but for justice. Enforced disappearance i s not only a crime against individuals-it is a crime against humanity. It destroys families, fractures communities, and leaves wounds that never fully heal. In Sri Lanka, enforced disappearances have been used as a tool of repression, particularly against the Tamil community, from the time of independence until today. Despite commissions, promises, and institutions, the truth remains hidden, and justice remains denied.
As a victim mother myself, I know the pain of absence, the pain of not knowing whether to mourn or to hope. Yet it is this pain that has transformed into strength, solidarity, and resistance. Our mothers have turned grief into courage and silence into protest.
Receiving this award in South Korea, a country that has its own history of struggle for democracy and human rights, has special meaning for us. It reminds us that international solidarity matters. It tells us that our voices are heard beyond borders and that our struggle is not forgotten.
I express my sincere gratitude to the "Bishop Jihaksoon Foundation" and the organisers of this award for recognising grassroots human rights defenders and for standing with victims when states fail to do so. I also thank all civil society organisations, journalists, lawyers, and international mechanisms that continue to support our
call for justice.
We dedicate this award t o every disappeared person whose fate remains unknown, and to every family still waiting. Until truth is revealed and justice is delivered, we will continue our struggle.
Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for your solidarity. Our struggle continues-but
Today, we walk forward with renewed strength.”
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