For UN Human Rights Council in September:
Eelam War missing report soon
by Manjula Fernando
The Presidential Commission probing disappearances in Sri Lanka since
1983, will conclude its work on the missing persons issue arising from
the last phase of the Eelam War in the next two months in time to
present a report to the UN Human Rights Council session scheduled for
September in Geneva this year, the Sunday Observer learns.
The issue of missing persons during the final phase of the war in the
Vanni is the ‘second mandate’ given to the Commission after it began its
work on the original mandate for a general probe into disappearances in
the whole country.
The second mandate requires the Commission to look into the
disappearances that took place during the last phase of the war during
the specific period, January to May 19, 2009.
The period was specified at a time when serious allegations were
levelled against government troops for massive human rights abuses
including killings, enforced disappearances and abductions.
Chairman of the Commission, retired Judge Maxwell Paranagama told the
Sunday Observer the work on the second mandate for which purpose, the
three-member Panel of International Experts extended assistance, will
conclude by July end. The final report will be ready by August, he said.
An international panel of legal experts appointed in July 2014 by the
former President advises the Commission on international humanitarian
and human rights law.
The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), with the support of the United
States, deferred till September a report on war crimes on Sri Lanka
which was scheduled to be released in March this year, in view of the
domestic inquiry.
The work on both mandates continue simultaneously. Under the first
mandate, the Commission was tasked to look into the disappearances of
people which had taken place in the country from 1983 to 2009.
“The first manadate requires more work and will take more time,”
Judge Paranagama said adding that they have finalised work on 2,400
complaints, out of a total of nearly 20,000 complaints of dissapearances.
This includes 5,000 complaints from the relatives of security forces.
The interim report of the Commission was handed over to President
Maithripala Sirisena on April 10.
The Commission has also asked for two additional commissioners and
four full-time investigating teams comprising four retired police
officers each, to help expedite their work.
The Disappearances Commission that was appointed by former President
Mahinda Rajapaksa in August 2013, began sittings in January 2014. It is
chaired by retired High Court Judge Paranagama and comprises Priyanthi
Suranjana Vidyaratne and Manohari Ramanathan, retired senior government
servants. |