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sri lanka's commissions of inquiry - Law & Society Trust

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RETURNED DETAINEES<br />

CATEGORY<br />

OF REC<br />

RECOMMENDATION<br />

(AS STATED IN REPORT)<br />

The Human Rights Commission should be requested to advise<br />

the government “in formulating legislation, administrative<br />

directive and procedures” for the protection <strong>of</strong> the fundamental<br />

rights <strong>of</strong> the Returned Detainees as a category. 208 I.11(i)<br />

It is very necessary to provide adequate relief to those who were<br />

removed, tortured and escaped death. Many <strong>of</strong> those persons<br />

had suffered both mentally and physically. It is recommended<br />

that they be rehabilitated and if necessary referred to Psychiatric<br />

Clinics; the assistance <strong>of</strong> non governmental organisations could<br />

be sought in this regard. (j)<br />

A TRUST for the rehabilitation <strong>of</strong> persons affected by<br />

disappearances be set up under a Board <strong>of</strong> <strong>Trust</strong>ees and the<br />

Inland Revenue <strong>Law</strong> be amended to remove the ceiling on<br />

contributions to charity to qualify for tax exemptions to facilitate<br />

contributions to this <strong>Trust</strong>. V.2<br />

CoI &<br />

REPORT<br />

Southern, Final<br />

(171)<br />

Central, Final<br />

(14)<br />

All Island,<br />

Final (86)<br />

YEAR<br />

1997<br />

1997<br />

2001<br />

208.<br />

“In 2007, the HRC’s non-compliance with the Paris Principles (Relating to the Status and Functioning <strong>of</strong> the National Institutions for the<br />

Protection and Promotion <strong>of</strong> Human Rights) led to its downgrading from Status ‘A’ to Status ‘B’ member by the International<br />

Coordinating Committee <strong>of</strong> National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection <strong>of</strong> Human Rights (ICC). The HRC’s subsequent<br />

failure to institute the reforms recommended by the ICC’s Sub-Committee on Accreditation led to confirmation <strong>of</strong> its ‘B’ status on its<br />

review in March 2009. Only ‘A’ status institutions are considered full members <strong>of</strong> the ICC with voting rights and receive concomitant<br />

recognition by the United Nations Human Rights Council within its structures and processes.”, see Skanthakumar, B, “Parallel Report<br />

on the Performance and Effectiveness <strong>of</strong> the National Human Rights Commission <strong>of</strong> Sri Lanka in 2008”, <strong>Law</strong> & <strong>Society</strong> <strong>Trust</strong>, 03 August<br />

2009 at p.3, available at http://www.lawandsocietytrust.org/web/images/PDF/nhrc%20report%202009.pdf. He further comments that “…its<br />

alarming unwillingness to recognise the urgency and seriousness <strong>of</strong> the human rights crisis and consequently its ineffectual performance,<br />

[is] <strong>of</strong> greater disappointment and concern…”, at p. 2. The HRC is currently non-functional due to the non-appointment <strong>of</strong> new members<br />

by President Mahinda Rajapakse.<br />

134

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