Govt. to establish Torture Commission
The Government, in collaboration with the Human Rights Division of the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat, will shortly conduct a countrywide inquiry in Sri Lanka on various aspects of torture, alleged to have taken place between 2009 and 2013. This move has been initiated in view of the tremendous pressure Sri Lanka was subjected to during the just-concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), during which British Premier, David Cameron, said he would call for an international inquiry into the country's alleged violations of human rights if Sri Lanka does not conduct an internal investigation. He also gave a March 2014 deadline for its conclusion.
By Ravi Ladduwahetty-Wednesday, 20 Nov 2013
The Government, in collaboration with the Human Rights Division of the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat, will shortly conduct a countrywide inquiry in Sri Lanka on various aspects of torture, alleged to have taken place between 2009 and 2013. This move has been initiated in view of the tremendous pressure Sri Lanka was subjected to during the just-concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), during which British Premier, David Cameron, said he would call for an international inquiry into the country's alleged violations of human rights if Sri Lanka does not conduct an internal investigation. He also gave a March 2014 deadline for its conclusion.
"It was Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, who had stated that an international inquiry on Sri Lanka was not practical, and that was why we decided to have an internal inquiry in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat," Director of the Human Rights Commission, Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa, told Ceylon Today.
He also said the national inquiry will not be limited to aspects of the war against the LTTE but other aspects such as torture as well that are alleged to have taken place during that period.
This is not a Presidential Commission of Inquiry. The Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission Act of 1996 specifically empowers us to conduct national inquiries of this nature,
Dr. Mahanamahewa, said. "A special two-member team from London led by the Acting Head of the Human Rights Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Karen Mc Kenzie, and Sri Lankan-born Human Rights Officer of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Sumedha Ekanayake, will be in Sri Lanka between 2 – 6 December, to draft the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the work to be carried out by the team.
Dr. Mahanamahewa, said. "A special two-member team from London led by the Acting Head of the Human Rights Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Karen Mc Kenzie, and Sri Lankan-born Human Rights Officer of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Sumedha Ekanayake, will be in Sri Lanka between 2 – 6 December, to draft the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the work to be carried out by the team.
The scheduled meeting between the HRC officials and the visiting Commonwealth team is also expected to finalize the places in the country where the inquiries will be held. It has been decided that the inquiry will be held over a period of 18 months,
Dr. Mahanamahewa further said.
Dr. Mahanamahewa further said.
