South African High Commissioner to Sri Lanka S.E. Schalk will appear before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) for the Appraisal of the Findings of Previous Commissions and Committees and the Way Forward to investigate, inquire into, and report or take necessary actions on the findings of preceding commissions or committees appointed to investigate into human rights violations, serious violations of international humanitarian law, and other such offences today (12).
Schlak is scheduled to make statements before the CoI regarding missing persons in Sri Lanka, human rights violations, the legal system of South Africa, and the actions taken by them regarding related matters in South Africa.
The CoI is chaired by Supreme Court Judge Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz, while its other members inlcude retired Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandra Fernando, retired District Secretary Nimal Abeysiri, and former Mayor of Jaffna Yogeswari Patkunarajah.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs M.U.M. Ali Sabry (PC) said recently that a truth-seeking mechanism will be established before March 2023, based on the final report of this CoI, which was appointed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and which is expected to be released this month.