The Commissioners of LLRC

LLRC and Grievances
During the LLRC sessions the commissioners
encountered thousands of people who were
affected by the war and who continue to suffer
post war. Through the submissions made by
such people during the out station hearings
of the LLRC and other input made by those
who presented in Colombo, the Commission
has produced in late 2010 an interim report
where the Commission recommends solutions
to detention, law and order, land issues, socio
economic/livelihood Issues.
In addition an Inter-Agency Advisory Committee
was appointed by the president to implement the
recommendations of the interim Lessons Learnt
and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report
in October 2010. The aim of this Committee
was to ensure that the confidence on the
LLRC was maintained and to fast track the
recommendations being made. The committee
comprises of the Attorney General, Chairman,
Secretary of Defence, Secretary of Public
Administration and Home Affairs, Secretary to
Ministry of Justice, Secretary to the Ministry of
Economic Affairs, Secretary to the Presidential
Task Force for Resettlement, Development and
Security in the Northern Province, Secretary for
Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms and Secretary
for External Affairs CHR in its identification of
the grievances has made the categorization
of these as below. (this pertains principally to
the grievances addressed during the outstation
sessions of the LLRC)
1 Detention
2 Disappearances
3 Land Issues
4 Financial assistance
5 Resettlement
Detention
From the first outstation session it was apparent
that detention was the primary concern of people
from affected areas. Thousands of parents,
simblings, wives appeared before the LLRC
and implored the commissioners to look
into the matter concerning detention of their
loved ones. They claimed that they have been
travelling from one centre to another in search
of those who were in detention, or presumed
to be in detention centers in order to determine
whether their loved ones were dead or whether
they were still alive.
Commissioners have always stated that they
believe that a list of detainees should be made
public and recommended the government to do
so in their interim report last year.
“There are persistent complaints pertaining to
persons being held in detention for long periods
without charges. In this regard the Commission
recommends that –
a) A special mechanism be created to examine
such cases on a case by case basis and
recommend a course of action in regard to
disposal of each case, as appropriate. Further,
to support this process the establishment of a
focal point in the Attorney Generals Department
is also recommended.
b) A major concern raised before the
Commission was the fact that many people did
not know the whereabouts of family members
in detention as they were constantly being
shifted from camp to camp.
Accordingly, the Commission recommends an
independent unit being established e.g. in the
Ministry of Justice, to address the following
issues —
1. Publishing a list of names of those in
detention.
2. When a person is discharged a certificate be
issued so that the same person is not taken
into custody again, unless new evidence is
discovered against him for being linked with the
LTTE.
3. To look into the general issue of laws
delays (to expedite prosecution or discharge
detainees)” –LLRC Interim Report
However the comprehensive list that has been
recommended through the interim report still
remains lacking and not released by the Ministry
of Defence.
In addition IAAC in their (24) “Progress
report on the implementation of the interim
recommendations of LLRC” states that regarding
matters pertaining to detention “a four-member
special committee, chaired by a Deputy Solicitor-
THE WAIT FOR JUSTICE 21