The website news stated: ‘Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa acting on powers vested in him under the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution has appointed Chairman and Members to the Human Rights Commission. The retired Justice of the Supreme Court Priyantha Perera has been appointed as the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and the other members appointed are former Government Analyst Dr.O.A.J.Mendis, former South East University Chancellor Mrs.Jezima Ismail, former IGP T.E.Anandaraja and Dr.Bernard de Soysa’.
Our sources who are victims of the Military Intelligence Unit head Major General Kapila Hendawitharne who operates clandestine, illegal and unaccountable violent units within the army to commit excessive human rights violations against suspects confirmed to us that their experience with the HRC and the Kapila Hendavitharane’s units were very mutual and dangerous.
One victim who wanted to maintain anonymity as per our previous reporting (link) confirmed he was a victim himself of the HRC.
He said: ‘I gave my statement with photographic evidence of my injuries following torture by the Ranjith Unit of the army to the Human Rights Commission. I expected that I will have protection following my complaint to the HRC, but immediately following my complaint I was taken into captivity by the very same Ranith Unit and severely tortured again. They produced my statement and photographic evidence given to the HRC and further tortured me for reporting to the HRC’.
The first hand evidence available with the Sri Lanka Guardian clearly confirms that HRC has either acted in unison with the Major General Kapila Hendawitharane’s clandestine units or was not acting in the best interest of the victims by not passing on the first hand accounts to the very perpetrators of human rights abuse.
How far the new cloak of the HRC under the 18th amendment will prevent such abuses in the future, when the President who had appointed its chairman and members whilst presiding over the military units that is carrying out such heinous crimes against humanity with the impunity bestowed to them will be known when further stories of the victims come to light.
Human Rights Commission will meet for the first time
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 14:59
The first meeting of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka is to be held on Feb.24.
Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa acting on powers vested in him under the Eighteenth Amendmentto the Constitution has appointed Chairman and Members to the Human Rights Commission.
The retired Justice of the Supreme Court Priyantha Perera has been appointed as the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and the other members appointed are former Government Analyst Dr.O.A.J.Mendis, former South East University Chancellor Mrs.Jezima Ismail, former IGP T.E.Anandaraja and Dr.Bernard de Soysa.
 According to the news filed in the government portal www.news.lk, the Human Rights Commission (H...){kind=link}
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