The Cabinet has decided to present the Batalanda Commission Report to Parliament this week, following growing demands from multiple parties urging the government to make it public and implement its recommendations.
The announcement was made during a press briefing on yesterday (11th), coinciding with renewed public interest in the report after former President Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed related issues on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head program last Thursday (6th).
What is the Batalanda Commission Report?
The Batalanda Commission was established in 1995 by then-President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to investigate human rights violations, including illegal detention, torture, assassinations, and disappearances that occurred at the Batalanda Housing Scheme during the 1988-1990 period.
The commission, chaired by Court of Appeal Judge D. Jayawickrama and High Court Judge N.E. Dissanayake, was supported by a legal team that included current Supreme Court Judge Yasantha Kodagoda and President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanne.
After nearly three years of investigation, the commission submitted its report to President Kumaratunga on 26th of March 1998. However, its recommendations were never implemented.
With the report now set to be presented in Parliament, there is renewed attention on its findings and the long-standing calls for accountability.
