19 September 2022 12:18 pm
The term of the 3-member Commission of Inquiry (CoI) appointed by the former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to investigate, inquire into and report or take necessary action on the findings of preceding Commissions or Committees appointed to probe into human rights violations, serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and other such offences, was extended by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Accordingly, an extraordinary Gazette notification issued by the president extending the term of the commission up to December 31, 2022 for tendering the final report on completion of the tasks assigned to the Commission of Inquiry established in terms of Section 2 of the Commission of Inquiry Act (Chapter 393) on January 20, 2021.
According to the Extraordinary Gazette dated January 21, 2021, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Supreme Court Judge A. H. M. D. Nawaz as the Chairman of the Commission while retired Inspector General of Police Chandra Fernando and retired District Secretary Nimal Abeysiri were appointed as the other members.
The Commission was entrusted with the following responsibilities:
Find out whether preceding Commissions of Inquiry and Committees which have been appointed to investigate into human rights violations, have revealed any human rights violations, serious violations of the international humanitarian law and other such serious offenses;
Identify what are the findings of the said Commissions and Committees related to the serious violations of human rights, serious violations of international humanitarian laws and other such offenses, and whether recommendations have been made on how to deal with the said facts;
Manner in which those recommendations have been implemented so far in terms of the existing law and what steps need to be taken to implement those recommendations further in line with the present Government policy;
Overseen of whether action is being taken according to (b) and (c) above.(DSB)
Gazette Extraordinary dated 21st January, 2021