( Missing persons commission in sittings)
The Special Investigative Team appointed by the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons has commenced investigations in the North into cases identified by the Commission during the conducting of Public Sittings, states Commission Chairman Maxwell Paranagama in a release.
The release states: “The Investigative Team is headed by a Senior Retired High Court Judge and consists of five senior ex-Police Officers specialized in carrying out investigations.
A lady investigative Officer has also been included in the iv investigative team, chosen from the areas in which investigations are to be conducted.
“Subsequent to carrying out in depth investigations into cases identified by the Commission, a report would be submitted by the head of the investigative Team to the Chairman head of the investigative Team to the Chairman of the Commission who will, based upon the Report, take steps to recommend to H. E. the President to refer the matters which needs legal action to the Attorney General to initiate legal action against any person/persons/ organizations who are found to be responsible for the violation of human rights of persons during the conflict period.
“The Investigative Team has visited the Magazine Prison, Colombo, and Detention Centrers in order to collect Information regarding missing persons. The Commission has provided details of persons who were admitted to various hospitals to the investigative Team in order to facilitate their work.
“The Commission assures the families of missing persons who have given evidence before the Commission during Public Sitting,s and persons who have submitted their complaints to the Commission, of its commitment to ensure that justice is meted out to them and address their grievances in terms of the powers vested to the Commission under the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act. Representatives from all communities form the Investigative Team.
The Commission has also taken steps to individually inform the families of missing persons in writing the outcome of the investigations into the disappearance of their loved ones”.