Batalanda Commission Report Tabled In Parliament
- CNL Reporter
- March 14, 2025
- Political
- Batalanda Commission Report Tabled In Parliament
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The Batalanda Commission report was officially tabled in parliament on Friday (14), by Leader Of The House Bimal Rathnayake.
The renewed discussion regarding this commission report, which investigated events during the 1988 to 1990 period, was sparked by points raised by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe during a recent Head to Head interview on Al Jazeera.
What is the Batalanda Commission Report?
In 1994, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was elected President of Sri Lanka, ending 17 years of United National Party (UNP) rule.
One of her key election promises was to seek justice for the human rights violations, murders and disappearances that occurred during the 1988/90 period.
Upon assuming office, President Kumaratunga established the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on September 21, 1995, to investigate these incidents.
This commission, known as the Batalanda Commission, was tasked with examining the illegal detention, torture, assassination and disappearances of individuals at the Batalanda Housing Scheme, which was under the purview of the State Fertilizer Manufacturing Corporation.
It was also tasked to identify those accountable, and make the necessary recommendations.
The commission was chaired by then Court of Appeal Judge D. Jayawickrama, with High Court Judge N.E. Dissanayake serving as a member.
A team of police officers was appointed to assist with the investigation, and the Attorney General’s Department provided legal support, leading the evidence in the presence of the commission.
Notable figures such as current Supreme Court Judge Yasantha Kodagoda and current President’s Counsel Sarath Jayamanne were part of this legal team.
The tenure of this Presidential Commission of Inquiry was extended on 12 separate occasions.
After nearly three years of gathering evidence, the commission submitted its report to President Kumaratunga on March 26, 1998.
What Happened to the Batalanda Report?
Despite being submitted to the then-President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, the recommendations of the Batalanda Commission Report were never implemented.
On 14th March 2025, the National People’s Power government, officially tabled the report in Parliament.
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