Missing Persons Commission starts sittings in east

Friday, 21 March 2014 05:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Presidential Commission to investigate cases of persons from the Northern and Eastern Provinces that went missing during the period 1990–2009 yesterday commenced its first public sittings in the eastern part of the country in the Batticaloa District. The public hearings are to take place from 20–22 March, 2014, in the towns of Chenkalady, Vakarai and Batticaloa, covering 56 Grama Niladhari Divisions in the district.

Given below are details of the times and locations that the Commission will hear oral submissions of those persons who have already submitted their complaints. The Commission will register any new complainants on the days of the public sittings. A date for hearing those complaints would be notified to the complainant. The Commission held its first public sittings in the Kilinochchi District in the Northern Province from 18–21 January, 2014, where it heard complaints from 440 people. Another 984 people made submissions from 14–17 February, 2014, when the Commission conducted its sittings in the Jaffna District. The Commission has thus far received a total of approximately 16,000 complaints from all parts of the country. Of those complaints, approximately 9,300 are of civilian disappearances while 4,300 are of disappearances of security personnel. The three-member Commission, comprising Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama (Chairman), Dimingu Badathuruge Priyanthi Suranjana Vidyaratne and Mano Ramanathan, has been given the authority to conduct inquiries and investigations necessary, and submit a report to the President. President Mahinda Rajapaksa extended the mandate of the Commission by another six months until August 2014.