Commission report: Back to square one
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka|February 26, 2021
When the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) was appointed in 2010 by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement “Sri Lanka has a long history of establishing ad hoc commissions to deflect international criticism over its poor human rights record and widespread impunity. Since independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has established at least 10 such commissions, none of which have produced any significant results.”
M.S.M.Ayub
Commission report: Back to square one

In 2009, Amnesty International published a book titled “Twenty Years of Make-Believe – Sri Lanka’s Commissions of Inquiry” which was highly critical of the incumbent and past governments of the country for their handling of human rights. And as the very title of the book suggests the Amnesty International decried the intention of past governments of Sri Lanka in appointing commissions.

The Law and Society Trust in September 2012 published a book titled “A Legacy to Remember: Sri Lanka’s Commissions of Inquiry - 1963- 2002” and authored by Kishali Pinto Jayawardena with an overview on the circumstances and the recommendations of over ten commissions appointed by various governments since early sixties. Once you read the book the impression you get is that the commissions of inquiry have been a political exercise of successive governments rather than genuine attempts to deter human rights violations or recurrence of ethnic conflicts.

However, the Presidential Commission of inquiry into the terrorist attacks on three luxury hotels in Colombo and three churches belonging to two Christian denominations on April 21, 2019 seems to be somewhat different from these past commissions. Former President Maithripala Sirisena might have appointed the commission on the attack by a group of Muslim terrorists on an Easter Sunday due to the pressure by the Christian community in the country to find out the real culprits and to prove that he as the Defence Minister was not responsible for the carnage. Yet, one cannot say that he or his successor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa did not want to find out what really happened and who really was behind the barbaric attacks.

This story is from the February 26, 2021 edition of Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 26, 2021 edition of Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM DAILY MIRROR - SRI LANKAView All
I Request UNPers To Vote At This Election And Save The Country And The Party
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

I Request UNPers To Vote At This Election And Save The Country And The Party

Wrong doers are being turned innocent by manipulating the law under this regime

time-read
1 min  |
July 28, 2020
Ecuador Declares Emergency In Prisons -116 Inmates Killed
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

Ecuador Declares Emergency In Prisons -116 Inmates Killed

Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso imposed a state of emergency on the prison system, after deadly clashes among gang members in a coastal prison killed at least 116 people.

time-read
1 min  |
October 01, 2021
Implications Of Covid-19 On Pregnant Mothers
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

Implications Of Covid-19 On Pregnant Mothers

The daily surge in Covid-19 figures presents pregnant women and their families with additional uncertainty.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 01, 2021
Sri Lanka And Bangladesh Meet In Saff Curtain Raiser Today
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka And Bangladesh Meet In Saff Curtain Raiser Today

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will clash in the curtain raiser match of the SAFF Football Tournament at the Maldives National Stadium in Male, today.

time-read
1 min  |
October 01, 2021
The Taliban And The UN's Democracy Dilemma
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

The Taliban And The UN's Democracy Dilemma

The United Nations is often derided as a talk shop.

time-read
5 mins  |
October 01, 2021
How to restore loss of smell, taste after COVID-19
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

How to restore loss of smell, taste after COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world anosmia and dysgeusia were quickly recognised as two of the key presenting symptoms.

time-read
4 mins  |
October 01, 2021
JAFFNA STALLIONS OWNERSHIP GROUP HIT BACK AFTER REMOVAL
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

JAFFNA STALLIONS OWNERSHIP GROUP HIT BACK AFTER REMOVAL

Say they signed a term sheet to continue as Jaffna franchise owners | Refute reasons given by IPG for ineligibility

time-read
2 mins  |
September 30, 2021
German parties proceed to first coalition talks after polls
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

German parties proceed to first coalition talks after polls

BERLIN (DPA), 29 SEPT, 2021 - The parties hoping to be part of Germany’s first government in 16 years without Angela Merkel as chancellor have taken their first steps towards coalition talks, with the country’s political future still in the balance.

time-read
1 min  |
September 30, 2021
Russia threatens YouTube ban after German RT outlet blocked
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

Russia threatens YouTube ban after German RT outlet blocked

MOSCOW (DPA), 29 SEPT, 2021 - Moscow threatened on Wednesday to block the YouTube video platform after the internet media firm removed the German-language channels of Russia’s RT state media outlet.

time-read
1 min  |
September 30, 2021
Sri Lankan Footballers out to end 26-year long wait
Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Footballers out to end 26-year long wait

Sri Lanka will look to end a 26-year-old hoodoo when they compete in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship in the Maldives from October 1 to 16.

time-read
1 min  |
September 30, 2021