Task Force for Reconciliation and Transitional Justice at Foreign Ministry
Friday, 27 February 2015 00:31
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By Dharisha Bastians
A special Task Force on Reconciliation and Transitional Justice has been established within the Foreign Ministry, Minister Mangala Samaraweera said.
The Task Force will liaise with other ministries and line agencies working on reconciliation and transitional justice issues, Minister Samaraweera told the Daily FT.
“We didn’t ask for a deferral of the UN investigation report as a delaying tactic. We will take a two-pronged approach with a Truth Commission to advance reconciliation and a domestic mechanism to investigate the allegations of rights abuses,” the Foreign Minister said.
Minister Samaraweera, who heads to Geneva for the 28th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next week, said the Government was reaching out to the UN and even international rights watchdogs for ‘technical assistance’ with the domestic mechanism.
“We are also going to be talking to the South Africans regarding the setting up a Truth Commission to help to build trust between communities and promote reconciliation,” he said.