Domestic disappearances commission begins sittings in Trinco

A Sri Lankan government commission into disappearances began holding more hearings in Trincomalee on Saturday. The much criticised Sri Lankan Presidential Commission to Investigate Missing Persons will be hearing oral statements from those it has invited to attend the new sitting, in three days of sittings at the District Secretariat in the city. The commission, which has been marred by claims of military intimidation of witnesses, has been criticised by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), who labelled it “deceptive”. Highlighting Sri Lanka's historic failure of domestic inquiries, the Bishop of Mannar refused to testify before it and protests were held outside other hearings in the North-East. The United National Party (UNP), in opposition at the time the commission was announced, had at first slammed the domestic inquiry – suggesting it was a betrayal of Sri Lankan soldiers. However, earlier this year, the new UNP led government granted the commission a further six months to continue its work. Over 18,000 submissions have been made before the commission in just three hearings across the North-East. The final report is still to be released. See our earlier posts: Sri Lanka's domestic commission to hold new sittings in Trinco (19 Feb 2015) Sri Lanka's domestic 'missing persons' commission delays conclusion (08 Feb 2015) Our children were killed by the Army - Tamil mothers testify (15 Dec 2014) Presidential Commission chair dismisses CPA criticism (05 October 2014) Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Disappearances lacks credibility - CPA (02 Oct 2014) 'Deceptive' Presidential Commission on Missing Persons an attempt to mislead people – TNA (17 August 2014) Chair of govt commission accuses NGOs of inflating disappearance numbers (12 August 2014) Bishop of Mannar refuses to participate in Sri Lanka's domestic inquiry on missing persons (10 August 2014) Cross-party concern over 'betrayal' of Sri Lankan soldiers in Presidential Inquiry (28 July 2014) TNA remains sceptical over government commission (27 July 2014) CPA criticises expansion of presidential commission mandate (25 July 2014) UNP expresses ‘serious concern’ over government u-turn on presidential commission (22 July 2014) Over 18,000 cases submitted for disappearances commission (06 June 2014) Desperate search for disappeared continues (16 February 2014) ‘Government commission is a fake’ NPC Deputy Chairman tells Japan (12 Feb 2014) Disappearance investigation commission a farce - Ananthy Sasitharan (02 January 2014) TNA rejects presidential commission to probe disappearances (29 July 2013) Rajapaksa appoints disappearance commission (14 August 2013) Another commission... (26 July 2013)