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

BRIEF STATEMENT OF FACTS:
On 25th October 2000, a mob attacked the government-run
Bindunuwewa Rehabilitation Centre, unleashing violence that killed
twenty seven Tamil inmates and injured fourteen inmates. The inmates
were Tamil men and boys, some of who had been detained and others
who had surrendered. Communal violence between Sinhalese and
Tamils in the area surrounding Bindunuwewa ensued, lasting at least
three days.
The Commission was appointed to inquire into the facts and
circumstances surrounding the massacre and to address questions
related to whether there was any outside influence or “unseen hand”
behind the incident and the role played by the police who were armed
and on duty at the centre and yet did nothing to stop the massacre.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:
The Report is a lengthy presentation of fact, policy, practice and law.
The theory and practice of rehabilitation in general, in Sri Lanka, and
at the Bindunuwewa Rehabilitation Centre is considered, including
the suitability of the location of Bindunuwewa and other rehabilitation
centres, the housing of surrendees and detainees in the same premises,
the justification for detention and rehabilitation of those who
surrender out of fear of recruitment or terrorist activity, the methods
of rehabilitation practiced at the centre and the general administration
of the Centre.
The Report presents, in detail, the factual accounts of numerous victims,
witnesses and alleged perpetrators of the massacre and the events that
preceded the massacre, namely the revolt by the inmates on the 24th of
October. The Commission reproduces the testimony of witnesses and
juxtaposes testimony to present and analyze contradictions in its effort
to reach conclusions about what actually happened.
65