JO demands Parliamentary Select Committee for impartial investigation of communal unrest

By Skandha Gunasekara

The Party Leaders will today decide on the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee to probe the incidents of communal unrest in various parts of the country in recent weeks. 

The Joint Opposition in Parliament last week called the House to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate the riots that occurred in Ampara and Kandy districts.

“A Parliamentary Select Committee will be practical and will give a more impartial outcome. It is better to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee as all communities are represented in Parliament and so we made a request in Parliament last week calling on the House to appoint such committee,” Joint Opposition MP Bandula Gunawardana told the Daily FT yesterday. 

He went on to note that a Party Leaders meeting will be held today, with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya expected to preside, to decide on the setting up of a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the causes and impact of the communal violence, as well as to what measures could be to monitor and prevent future such incidents. 

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Chairman Professor G L Peiris, too, concurred with the notions of the Joint Opposition regarding the establishment of PSC. 

While noting that he was not against a Presidential Committee of Inquiry being appointed, Professor Peiris noted that considering the issue at hand, the composition of the committee was vital. 

“A Parliamentary Select Committee would be the best mechanism to address this pressing matter. All communities and religions are represented in the House, and inclusivity is key to ensure all points of view are regarded equally,” he said.

Furthermore, Prof. Peiris noted that PSC would result in an unbiased outcome of investigations. “The validity of a Presidential Commission of Inquiry would largely depend on its composition and even then it could be used to whitewash the whole issue. If this is the case, the committee has no value and is just a political exercise. A Parliamentary Select Committee would ensure an independent and fair inquiry.”