Shortly after taking office in August 1994, the new Government of Sri Lanka announced that it would set up three commissions of inquiry into human rights violations committed since January 1988. The commissions started work in January 1995 and within two months reportedly had received information on some 30 000 cases of “disappearances”. In this report, AI welcomes the initiative to investigate past abuses but urges the government to strengthen the commissions. AI is concerned that their vague mandate and restrictions on their functions could prevent them from fully investigating and exposing the massive and systematic human rights violations in Sri Lanka’s past. AI makes observations and recommendations to the members of the commissions and the government, regarding the criteria which AI considers essential for any investigative body entrusted with the task of bringing to light past violations.
