Friday Forum wants release of reports on Welikade prison riots, Paranagama Commission

The Friday Forum has written to President Maithripala Sirisena with regard to the release of reports on the Welikada Prison riots of last year and the Paranagama Commission.

Following is the full statement:

The Friday Forum was pleased to read the report of the recommendations of the committee to inquire into the Welikada prison riots in 2012, which recommendations were released to the public on 25 June 2015. However we call on you, in the public interest, to release in full the report of the inquiry, as we have a right to know what took place inside the prison which caused 27 inmates to lose their lives.

The Friday Forum was also pleased to note the handing over to you of the interim report of the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints regarding Missing Persons (Paranagama Commission) in early April. Here too we ask for its release and publication in the public interest.

We welcome the actions of the Commission to facilitate issuing of death certificates, payment of compensation, intervention in employment and land matters etc over and above its mandate. However we note with concern the Commission’s regret that written requests to the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Justice to release to the Commission names of persons who were in custody of prisons, detention camps, refugee camps, and rehabilitation centres had not been complied with.

We urge you to ensure compliance by these two Ministries in order to further facilitate the identification and location of missing persons.