Diaspora Can Make Submissions

The Sri Lankan Diaspora will be able to make submissions

to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Missing Persons which has now been asked to investigate the war.

Chairman of the Presidential Commission, Maxwell Paranagama told The Sunday Leader that the Commission on Missing Persons will publish a notice inviting the public to make submissions.

“Even the Diaspora is allowed make submissions to the Commission and testify before the Commission,” he said. However, he also said he was not able to say exactly when the Commission will complete the hearings and compile its report.

“I cannot tell exactly when we will be able to finish our work under the new mandate. We have to hear each and every case individually,” Paranagama said.

He also said the Commission had received over 19000 complaints in writing and at each public sitting they receive over 400 new complaints.President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently expanded the scope of the Presidential Commission on Missing Persons.

Under its new mandate, the Commission is expected to investigate into civilians’ death during the internal conflict with special reference to the last phase of the war. Three international experts have also been appointed to look into the investigation and advice the Commission on its new mandate.