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