Term of Presidential Commission on serious HR violations extended

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has extended the time granted to the Commission of Inquiry to investigate and inquire into alleged serious violations of Human Rights till November 2, 2008, to complete all investigations and inquiries into the incidents referent to in the warrant establishing the Commission.

The specific mandate of the eight-member Commission set up on November 3, 2006 is to inquire into 15 stipulated incidents amounting to serious violations of human rights including the assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, murder of Member of Parliament Joseph Pararajasingham, killing of five youth in Trincomalee on January 2, 2006, killing of 17 workers of Action Centre La Fiaim, murder of the Deputy Director General of the Peace Secretariat Ketheesh Loganathan on August 12, 2006, killing of 13 persons in Kayts on May 13, 2006, disappearance of Rev. T. N. Jim Brown on August 28, 2006, death of 51 persons in Sencholai in August 2006, killing of 68 persons in Kebithigollewa, and the killing of 98 Security Forces personnel in Digampathana on October 16, 2006.

The Commission also has the mandate to investigate and inquire into other incidents which in the opinion of Commission amount to serious violations of human rights.

The Commission will investigate and inquire into the propriety and efficacy of the investigations already conducted by Police into the incidents contained in the Warrant establishing the Commission, and comment on such investigations.