The Government has opposed a private member’s motion calling for the appointment of a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violence surrounding Sri Lanka’s 1983 Black July riots, assess the destruction caused and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Presenting the Government’s position during a parliamentary debate on Friday (October 9), Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara said that while the Government agreed with the underlying idea proposed by MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan, it opposed establishing a Presidential Commission for this purpose.
The Minister explained that a Presidential Commission would operate outside Parliament and said the Government had submitted a proposal to appoint a special parliamentary committee to examine the matter instead. He added that representatives of all political parties in Parliament, including Adaikkalanathan, could work together through the proposed committee.
Earlier, a proposal signed by 51 government MPs had been submitted to appoint a parliamentary select committee to conduct a comprehensive study of the 1983 Black July riots.
The motion was presented by Selvam Adaikkalanathan of the Tamil National Alliance, while Shanakiyan Rasamanickam of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi seconded it.
Speaking during the debate, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said justice must be delivered to the victims of Black July. He also expressed collective regret over the violence and offered an apology in connection with the incidents.
