Opposition asks why PM and Speaker have not been summoned before Easter Sunday probe commission

By Saman Indrajith

Justice Minister Ali Sabry yesterday promised to put in place a mechanism soon to ensure that Parliament would receive all presidential commission reports.

He gave that pledge in response to a question raised by Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella, who pointed out that there had been many presidential commissions of inquiry in the past, but none of their reports were available in the Parliament library.

Kiriella said: “There have been presidential commissions under successive governments but none of their reports were made available to the MPs. Will we be getting the reports of the presidential commission of inquiry?’

Justice Minister Sabry

: Are you asking for the commission report that found the Opposition leader guilty? The presidential commission of inquiry on the Easter Sunday incident is not released. Once it is released we’ll introduce a mechanism to ensure that MPs will have access to it.

SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahman

: The Chief Opposition Whip was referring to the report of the presidential commission of inquiry on political victimisation. The MPs have to read those reports.

SJB Ratnapura District MP Hesha Withanage:

There were several commissions of inquiry and we have no access to their reports. It seems that there is a new situation where some important facts pertaining to the Easter Sunday attacks are being covered up. On the other hand, it is doubtful whether the commission of inquiry has investigated all facts. For example, the incumbent speaker as an MP then made a statement that he had received a prior warning that there would be a terror attack on Easter Sunday. Similarly, the security contingent of the then Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa too had received that warning. They have not given evidence before the commission. This is a serious situation and there are growing concerns that the investigation has veered off the track.

Justice Minister Sabry: We have assured you several times in this House and elsewhere there will nothing untowards as regards such investigations. As we stated yesterday the police have completed their investigations by November last year and submitted their findings to the Attorney General’s Department for legal action. The Attorney General has said that he would await the release of the report of the presidential commission of inquiry and then institute legal action against those responsible.

The Attorney General has assured me that there would be no influence on the commission of inquiry and due process would be followed with regard to those responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage. The We assure you that justice would be served. 268 persons were killed in the attacks. As per the applications for compensation, 506 persons were wounded. We have no intention of turning this investigation into a political circus.