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100 statements set to be obtained from missing persons’ relatives in East

17 Oct 2022

BY Mirudhula Thambiah The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) to investigate, inquire into, and report or take necessary action on the findings of preceding commissions or committees appointed to investigate human rights violations, serious violations of International Humanitarian Law, and other such offences chaired by Supreme Court Judge A.H.M.D. Nawaz is expected to obtain 100 statements from relatives of missing persons in Kattankudy, Batticaloa on 22 and 23 October, during sittings. A source from the PCoI told The Morning yesterday (16) that 100 statements are to be obtained from the relatives of missing persons from Batticaloa. “We would obtain 50 statements from the relatives of missing persons on 22 October, and 50 more on 23 October. If the time is limited, we have also directed our officials to collect documents that include details from the relatives of missing persons,” the source added. Meanwhile, the sittings of the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) were interrupted by a group of protestors including MPs and civil society persons on Saturday (15), and as a result, the session was postponed. A source from the OMP told The Morning yesterday that the rescheduling of OMP sittings in Batticaloa will be finalised soon. Preliminary inquiries of around 460 complaints from the Kaluwanchikudy and Chenkalady division in the Batticaloa District have been attended to by the officers of the OMP from 11 to 14 October, the source said. Speaking to the media last week, Minister of Justice Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe (PC) noted that the Government hopes to conclude the inquiries of the OMP by the end of next year. “The OMP has identified over 7,000 cases, which will be investigated. During the previous mandate of the OMP, within a period of four to five years, only 65 files were investigated. There was a delay, and that is why the international community is blaming us,” he added. However, Dr. Rajapakshe also said that during the last three months, the OMP concluded around 1,200 cases. “During the last three months the OMP had almost concluded 1,200 files. My target is to somehow conclude the inquiries before the end of next year, because we have taken too much time,” he added. Based on the certificate of absence issued by the Registrar General for the families of the missing persons, it was decided at the Cabinet meeting held on 14 March 2022 to pay a sum of Rs. 100,000 to the closest relative of the missing person. However, due to delays in obtaining the certificate of absence, as well as the amount of Rs. 100,000 not being sufficient, Cabinet, this week, approved the resolution submitted by the Minister of Justice to ignore the requirement of obtaining the certificate of absence if the Office for Reparations has confirmed that the relevant person is missing, and to pay an increased amount of Rs. 200,000 in compensation.  


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