Justice Nissanka Udalagama, heading the eight-member Commission of Inquiry (CoI) appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 3 last year, said, “The Commission has completed investigations into the killing of the 17 aid workers and the five youth. We are hoping to begin public hearings into the two massacres on November 20. A number of local and international NGOs, civic groups and even the public have shown an interest and it is difficult to get all members to attend all the sittings. But it is mandatory that the public hearing is conducted with eight COI members in attendance.”

The Commission was entrusted with the task of investigating 15 incidents of serious human rights violations including the killing last year of 17 aid workers of the French NGO, Action against Hunger (ACF) in Mutur and of five youth in Trincomalee.

Justice Udalagama said an amendment to reduce the Commission’s quorum from eight to five is awaiting passage in Parliament after the Supreme Court reviewed the amendment as an urgent Bill but party leaders are yet to agree to take it up soon.

“We cannot interrupt the public inquiry once it starts for want of a quorum as there will be a number of International Agencies, NGOs and other watchdog groups observing the proceedings of the Commission,” he said.

Justice Udalagama also said the Commission had begun investigating the massacre of 10 Muslim villagers at Radella in Potuvil on September 17 last year and the killing of TNA Parliamentarian Joseph Prarajasingham in Batticaloa on Christmas day.

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