Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms President’s Counsel Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, whilst noting that 95% of occupied lands had been handed over to the relevant parties, said yesterday (16) that a committee chaired by Secretary to the Ministry of Justice Wasantha Perera has however been set up to resolve land related issues in the North and East.
Speaking at a media briefing, Dr. Rajapakshe said yesterday that the remaining land-related issues in the North and the East will be resolved by the said committee chaired by Perera.
He further added that the cases of the detainees under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act are being expedited in two High Courts, and that an advisory board had been providing recommendations regarding the same.
“Around 31 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) prisoners have been identified, and among them, some have been convicted, while the cases of others are ongoing. Once the process is addressed, decisions will be made,” he added further.
He also noted that the Government had planned to address the issue of missing persons and end the related probes by the end of 2023.
“Only 65 files had been completed when we (the current Government) took over, but now, around 2,000 files have been completed by the Office on Missing Persons,” he elaborated.
Dr. Rajapakshe noted that 11,782 Sri Lankan refugees have returned from India and that his Ministry had taken steps to provide them with important documents such as the birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc. Accordingly, he had paid a visit to Jaffna and Kilinochchi last month to address the above issues as well as the drug menace in the Northern Province. He had also instructed the establishment of a task force in the Northern Province chaired by its Governor Jeevan Thiyagarajah to curb the drug issue.