Public Hearings of the Commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation

The Commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation commenced its public hearings today at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies. Representations were made by Mr. Bernard Goonathilleke, former diplomat, former DG/SCOPP and Secretary/Foreign Affairs, as well as Dr. V. Nallainayagam, and expatriate Sri Lankan Tamil from Canada.

A more comprehensive report on the proceedings will follow.

The public hearings will continue tomorrow and the week after, while public hearings will also held in Vavuniya on 14th and 15th August.

The text of the mandate of the Commission is attached herewith for your information. It can also be downloaded from the Official Government website: www.priu.gov.lk

Following is the text of the Warrant issued by President Mahinda Rajapaksa:

WHEREAS I am of the opinion that an opportune moment has arrived to reflect on the conflict phase and the sufferings the country has gone through as a whole and having regard to the common aspirations of all we have collectively resolved that our people are assured an era of peace, harmony and prosperity;

WHEREAS It has become necessary that while we as an independent and proud nation of multi-ethnic polity undertake a journey of common goals in a spirit of co-operations, partnership and friendship we also learn form this recent history lessons that would ensure that there will be no recurrence of any internecine conflict in the future;

WHEREAS I am of the opinion that it is in the interest of public welfare, to appoint a Commission of Inquiry for the purposes hereinafter mentioned;

NOW THEREFORE I, Mahinda Rajapaksa, President, reposing great trust and confidence in your prudence, ability, independence and fidelity, do, in pursuance of the provisions of Section 2 of the Commission of Inquiry Act (Chapter 393), by these presents, appoint you, the said;

1. Chitta Ranjan de Silva Esquire, PC
2. Dr. Amrith Rohan Perera Esquire, PC
3. Prof. Mohamed Thahir Mohamed Jiffry Esquire
4. Prof. Karunaratna Hangawatta Eq
5. Chandirapal Chanmugam Esq
6. Hewa Mathara Gamage Siripala Palihakkara Esq
7. Mrs. Manohari Ramanathan
8. Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama Esq

To be my Commissioners, to inquire and report on the following matters that may have taken place during the period between 21st February 2002 and 19th of May 2009, namely;

1. the facts and circumstances which led to the failure of the ceasefire agreement operationalized on 21st February 2002 and the sequence of events that followed thereafter up to the 19th of May 2009;
2. whether any person, group, or institution directly or indirectly bear responsibility in this regard;
3. the lessons we would learn from those events and their attendant concerns, in order to ensure that there will be no recurrence;
4. the methodology whereby restitutions to any person affected by those events or their dependents or to heirs, can be affected;
5. the institutional administrative and legislative measures which need to be taken in order to prevent any recurrence of such concerns in the future, and to promote further national unity and reconciliation among all communities, and to make any such other recommendations with reference to any of the matters that have been inquired into under the terms of this Warrant

AND I do hereby appoint you the said Chittaranjan de Silva Esq, President’s Counsel and retired Attorney General to be the Chairman of the said Commision;

And I do hereby authorize and empower you the said Commisioners, to hold all such inquiries and to make all such investigations into the aforesaid matters as may appear to you to be necessary, and require you to transmit to me within six months of the date hereof, a report thereon under your hand, setting of the finding of requires and your recommendations relating thereto;

And I do hereby direct that such part of any inquiry relating to the aforesaid matters as you may in your discretion determine, shall not be held in public,

And I do hereby require and direct all Public Officers and other persons to whom you may apply for such assistance or information for the purpose of your inquiries or investigations, to render all such assistance and furnish all such information as may be properly rendered and furnished in that behalf;

And I do hereby declare that the provisions of Section 14 of the Commissions Inquiry Act (Chapter 393) shall apply to the Commission;

GIVEN at Colombo, under the seal of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, this 15th day of May two thousand and ten.

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