Presidential commission to probe disappearances

26 July 2013 08:30 am

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga to appoint a commission to look into the incidents of disappearances that have taken place during the 30-year conflict.

The decision with regard to the terms of reference and members of the commission will be taken soon, the official government website said quoting Presidential Spokesman Mohan Samaranayake.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) appointed by President Rajapaksa in May 2010 to investigate alleged human rights violations recommended to probe disappearances and alleged human rights violations during the conflict.

The Commission while stressing that Sri Lanka military has not deliberately targeted civilians recommended that the government should appoint a special commissioner to look into the alleged disappearances and provide material to the Attorney General's Department to initiate criminal proceedings as appropriate.

Ninety nine per cent of former LTTE cadres were rehabilitated and reintegrated into society. They were provided vocational training and the necessary tools along with monetary assistance to start their own projects.

Over 9,000 persons whose family members were killed at the hands of the LTTE were provided compensation by the government.