MR appoints 8 member team

17 May 2010 07:29 am

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has named an eight member ‘Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation’ Commission to report on the lessons to be learnt from the events in the period, Feb 2002 to May 2009. The Commission has been charged with reporting whether any person, group or institution directly or indirectly bears responsibility in this regard, the President’s office said today.

The Commissioners appointed are Chitta Ranjan de Silva Esquire, PC – Chairman, Dr. Amrith Rohan Perera Esquire, PC, Prof. Mohamed Thahir Mohamed Jiffry Esquire, Prof. Karunaratna Hangawatta Eq, Chandirapal Chanmugam Esq, Hewa Mathara Gamage Siripala Palihakkara Esq, Mrs. Manohari Ramanathan and Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama Esq, the President’s office said today.

The President has sanctioned Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in the UN to mention in his remarks at the UN Security Council Interactive Briefing on 5th June 2009 that the Government was in the process of initiating a domestic mechanism for fact finding and reconciliation.

The Commission is charged with reporting on measures to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such concerns in the future and promote further national unity and reconciliation among all communities.

The appointment of this Commission follows cabinet approval to a memorandum by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It states that it has been apparent for quite some time to the Government, that the conflict situation due to the very brutality and long duration of the violence perpetrated against Sri Lanka, would have caused great hurt and anguish in the minds of the people, that requires endeavours for rehabilitation and the restoration of democratic governance complimented by measures for reconciliation.

This Government is commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, as consistently articulated and affirmed by Sri Lanka at Sessions of the Human Rights Council, the President’s office further said today.  (Daily Mirror online)