Lessons Learnt Commission: Public sittings on August 11

[ Contact Commission]

Any member of the public who wishes to make submissions before the Commission should contact 0112673408 or write to The commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation, No 24, Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Horton Place, Colombo 7.

The Commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa under Section 2 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, to inquire and report on matters that took place between February 21, 2002 to May19, 2009 will hold its first public sittings on August 11 at 9.30 a.m. at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies, 24, Horton Place Colombo 7.

The Commission is scheduled to hear representations on August 11, 2010 : 09.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m., August 12, 2010 : 09.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and August 13, 2010: 09.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m., August 17, 2010: 09.30 a.m., 11.30 a.m. and 02.00 p.m., August 18, 2010: 02.00 p.m. and 03.00 p.m., August 23,2010: 9.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m., August 25, 2010: 02.00 p.m. and 03.30 p.m., August 14 and 15 public sittings will be held in Vavuniya.

The terms of reference of the commission are –

* The facts and circumstances which led to the failure of the cease-fire agreement operationalized on February 21, 2002 and the sequence of events that followed thereafter up to May 19, 2009.

* Whether any person, group or institution directly or indirectly bear responsibility in this regard;

* The lessons we would learn from those events and their attendant concerns, in order to ensure that there will be no recurrence;

* The methodology whereby restitution to any person affected by those events or their dependents or their heirs, can be effected;

* 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.

Citizens who have the welfare of the country at heart are requested to provide such assistance and information to achieve the common goals.

The public is advised to arrive early as seating is limited and will be on a first come first served basis.