Citizens' Commission to investigate expulsion of Muslims from North

The Law and Society Trust (LST) together with the Community Trust Fund, the People's Secretariat and the Rural Development Foundation has set up a Citizens' Commission to investigate the expulsion of Muslims from the Northern Province by the LTTE in October 1990.

The LTTE expulsion of Muslims from five Northern districts in October 1990 has not been adequately integrated into any mainstream historical narrative in Sri Lanka.

The objective of the exercise is to produce authoritative documentation on the expulsion and its consequences and to list the community's grievances through a document endorsed by a Commission consisting of eminent local civil society persons.

The Commissioners are eminent persons from civil society who are outside the Northern Muslim community. The present nine Commissioners are Dr. Devanesan Nesiah, Dr. M.S.M. Anes, Dr. Catherin Brun, Dr. Gameela Samarasinghe, Dr. E. Santhirasegaram, Dr. Nimalka Fernando, Prof. M. Nuhman, Javid Yusuf and Abdul Majeed.

The final commission report will be endorsed by this group.

The Advisory Group who has agreed to assist with the project consists of Ms. Shreen Saroor, Ms. Faizun Zackariah, Dr. Hasbullah, Ms. Juwairiya and M. Nihmath. Dr. Farzana Haniffa is working with the LST as a consultant on this project and will oversee its implementation.Northern Muslims interested in making representations before the commission should contact the Law and Society Trust. For further information, contact Ms. Kaneeza Faris at the LST on 2691228 or 2684845.