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A discussion chaired by Hon. Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC,  Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, attended by Hon. Ali Sabry, PC,  Minister of  External Affairs was held in the morning today (01.09.2022) at the Auditorium of the Ministry of Justice focussing attention on looking for progress of the domestic mechanism with a view to protect human rights in the country and to build up unity and reconciliation.

The subjects in respect of which the attention was drawn at the discussion inter alia include  protection of human rights, building up of unity and reconciliation,  inquiring into complaints received from the families of missing persons, awarding of compensations for those who have been confirmed to be of missing and their properties identified to be damaged, releasing of lands personally utilised by the security forces and for which the progress achieved by the relevant state agencies has also been focussed on at the discussion.  

As it is mandatory to submit before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva annually the progress of the programme implemented by the Government to safeguard the  human rights of this country, it was discussed at the meeting the manner in which the human right state agencies in the country would act in the days to come.  

At the discussion, the Minister of Justice gave emphasis for the accountability of the human right state agencies in the country to act to enhance the unity and reconciliation among ethnic groups and as well as the need to accelerate the Grama Rajya Concept (Village Government Concept)  proposed to be implemented by the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation covering  throughout the country.

The Minister of Justice instructed the officials to expedite the matters pertaining to inquiries into the complaints received from the families of missing persons, issuance of Certificate of Absence, awarding of compensation for loss of lives and property damages.

Deepthi Lamahewa, Director, Office for National Unity and Reconciliation, T. Thawapalan, Deputy Director of the Office of Missing Persons, Major General Ruwan Kulathunga representing the Ministry of Defence, Dhara Wijethilaka, Chairperson of the Office for Reparation, Chaminda Saparamadu, Director General of Council for Sustainable Development expressed their views focussing on the progress of the measures taken by their state agencies to ensure unity and reconciliation.

This discussion was attended by Hon. Sanjaya Rajarathnam, Attorney-General, Wasantha Perera, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Piyumanthi Pieris, Additional Secretary (Legal) to the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, R.P.S. Saman Kumari, (National Integration), J.J. Ratnasiri, Chairperson of the National Unity and Reconciliation, Asanga Karavita, Deputy Inspector General of Police and officials representing the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, the Ministry of External Affairs, Attorney General’s Department, Council for Sustainable Development and Office for National Unity and Reconciliation.