The second interim report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) for Appraisal of the Findings of Previous Commissions and Committees and the Way Forward was presented to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Supreme Court Judge A. H. M. D. Nawaz at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday.
President Rajapaksa appointed this Commission of Inquiry to investigate, inquire into and report or take action on the findings of preceding Commissions or Committees appointed to investigate human rights’ violations, serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and other such offences, on January 21, 2021. Supreme Court Judge A. H. M. D. Nawaz was appointed as the Chairman of the Commission.
The first report of the Commission was submitted to the President on July 21, 2021.
In the second, 107-page report, the Commission made a number of recommendations based on the testimonies of 75 residents of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts who had faced the battle against terrorism and who had related experiences over it.
It has been recommended to immediately investigate the findings of the Paranagama Commission appointed in 2015 and to file a court case or provide compensation accordingly.
Those who testified before the Commission requested Government assistance to improve their financial status and this has also been recommended by the Commission. Dead terrorists are not permitted to be commemorated but the Commission had recommended to grant the right to commemorate the death of a relative in private, which occurred during the battle against terrorism.
Chairman of the Commission Supreme Court Judge A.H.M.D. Nawaz said that the final report will be submitted to the President by June.
Secretary to the President, Gamini Senarath was also present.