Summary
- Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe rejects 'Batalanda' Commission report
- Rejects the report categorically
- Heinous terrorist acts by JVP during 1988-90 period
- Criticizes the report for not providing a clear investigation
- Stands by the conclusion that JVP was responsible for these acts
- Firm stance against the report's findings
Publications(9)
Issuing a special statement today (16), former President Ranil Wickremesinghe categorically rejected the ‘Batalanda’ Commission report. He pointed out that the commission report mentions the heinous terrorist acts committed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) during the 1988-90 period. Watch the former President’s full statement above:
Colombo, March 16 (Daily Mirror) - Claiming that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe is now too late to talk about the Batalanda Commission report, Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said today the government will take legal action based on the report. He told reporters that the government tabled the report in Parliament as promised and has scheduled to hold a two day debate on April 10 and in May. "The government has decided to appoint a committee regarding the matter. We will refer the report to the Attorney General's Department as well," he said. The Minister said the UNP and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa's SJB group argued against taking the debate and added that the government managed to allocate a date for the debate. "We will hold the debate for democracy and justice in the country. People must know the truth," he said. The Minister said former President Wickremesinghe is the one who knows A-Z about the Batalanda incident and that he never talked about it until Al Jazeera brought it up during a recent interview. "It is not today. Ranil could have talked about it for the past 35 years. He said nothing until Al Jazeera brought it up. Ranil is too late now," he said.
Colombo, March 17 (Daily Mirror) - Claiming that there are more witnesses to testify on the Batalanda incident, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said today if the evidence is produced, not only former President Ranil Wickremesinghe but others who were involved in the incident will have to face legal consequences. He told reporters after signing the NPP nominations at the JVP headquarters this morning that Ranil Wickremesinghe did not reject allegations against him even during his recent statement on the Batalanda Commission report. He said the Batalanda Commission was appointed during the former President Chandrika Bandaranaike government. Silva said so many people who were tortured in the camp, witnesses and even police officers are ready to testify apart from the witnesses in the commission report. He said the government will proceed with the action against the Batalanda incident despite various criticisms. "There are two types of accusations. The Ranil faction alleges that it is a mudslinging campaign while the other faction says the government will not punish Ranil. That will never happen. But, we will not sling mud or take revenge. We will only implement the law," he said.
The Parliamentary Communications Department has announced that the parliamentary debate on the ‘Batalanda’ Commission report will commence on April 10. Acting Director of Communications of Parliament, Mr. Jayalath Perera stated that the debate will be conducted in two stages. “From 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM, the debate on the ‘Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Establishment and Maintenance of Places of Unlawful Detention and Torture Chambers at the Batalanda Housing Scheme,’ which was tabled in Parliament on March 14, will take place. It was also decided to allocate another date in May to continue this as a two-day debate,” he said. The ‘Batalanda’ Commission report was presented to Parliament on March 14 by the Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Ratnayake. At that time, Minister Ratnayake mentioned that a two-day debate would be held on the report. He also disclosed that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had made a policy decision through the Cabinet to take action on the report. Furthermore, Minister Ratnayake stated that the government had decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for further legal review. Additionally, a Presidential Committee has been appointed to provide guidance and recommendations regarding future actions related to the report. Minister Ratnayake also noted that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe had been named in the report in connection with certain allegations. In response, Wickremesinghe announced that he would make a special statement today (16) to address the accusations against him.
By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana Colombo, March 14 (Daily Mirror) - The report of the Batalanda Commission which probed into the alleged torture of youth in 1988/89, was tabled in Parliament by Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayke today. He said the report will be handed over to the Attorney General while President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will appoint a committee to look into what action should be taken with regard to the report. Also, Rathnayake said a two day debate will be held on the Batalanda Commission report. Some ruling party MPs became emotional when the report was tabled.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe is to make a special statement on the Batalanda Commission report which was tabled in Parliament by Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayke earlier today. Wickremesinghe's office said he will reveal some matters with regard to the Commission report on Sunday (16).
By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana Colombo, March 16 (Daily Mirror) - The debate on the report of the commission which looked into the unlawful detention camp in Batalanda and it's activities will be taken up on April 10, 2025, Parliament Media Unit said. The decision was taken at the Parliamentary Business Committee which met in Parliament yesterday chaired by Speaker Jagath Wickremarathne. It has also been decided to allocate another date for the debate in May. The Batalanda Commission report was tabled by Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayke on Friday, March 14 2025.
Former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to deliver a special statement today (16) regarding the allegations mentioned in the ‘Batalanda’ Commission report. This follows the tabling of the ‘Batalanda’ Commission report in Parliament last week by Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Ratnayake. During the session, Minister Ratnayake announced that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has made a policy decision through the Cabinet to take action on the report. He further stated that the government has decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for further legal review. Additionally, a Presidential Committee has been appointed to provide guidance and recommendations on future actions concerning the report. Minister Ratnayake also noted that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been named in the report in connection with certain allegations. In response, Wickremesinghe announced that he will make a special statement today to address the accusations against him.
Colombo, March 16 (Daily Mirror) - Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe today said he will reject the report of the commission which probed the unlawful detention and Killing of youth in Batalanda. "The commission has only questioned my action to heed the request by then State Minister of Defence Ranjan Wijeratne to provide accommodation to the security forces which provided security to important state owned institutions in Biyagama during the height of the JVP insurrection of 1987/89," Wickremesinghe said in a special statement.
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