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Batalanda Commission report tabled in Parliament

14 Mar, 2025

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The Batalanda Commission Report, which investigated allegations of unlawful detention, torture and extrajudicial killings between 1988 and 1990, was tabled in Parliament by Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake.

Rathnayake said the report will be studied by a Presidential Committee and will be presented to the Attorney General for further legal action.

The report will also be debated in Parliament.

The Batalanda Commission was established by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1995 through a Presidential warrant. Chaired by Justice D. Jayawickrama with N.E. Dissanayake as a member, the inquiry focused on human rights violations in what was believed to be an unofficial Government detention centre. The Commission?s tenure was extended multiple times before its findings were finalised.

A complete report and related materials were submitted to the National Archives in 1998 but was not forwarded to the Attorney General at the time.

Rathnayake criticised former President Kumarathunga for not referring the report to the Attorney General. (Colombo Gazette)

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