News and events

CHRD makes submission to the Commission of RTI

2023-01-25

Journalist Niroshan Kumar’s appeal filed in 2019 to the Commission on Right to Information (RTI) seeking information on the LTTE carders surrendered to the Military in the last phase of war. This appeal was lodged consequent to the application for information made to the Sri Lanka Army the same year. However, the Sri Lanka Army responded stating no members of the LTTE surrendered to the Army and the Army does not have any information of the surrendees. Being aggrieved and dissatisfied with the response appeal was filed to the Commission of RTI. But the army continued with their stance on the surrenders although documentary evidence was submitted in proof of such surrenders and that the Sri Lanka Army had lied and falsely denied the surrender in-order to mislead the Commission. At the hearing held on 25.01.2023 CHRD too supported the appellant by way of making additional submissions that the Sri Lanka army had admitted to the Mullaitivu Magistrate Court in 2015 and more recently (17.12.2022) to the Vavuniya High Court that LTTE carders had surrendered to the Military at last phase of war and that the names and the other details had been duly registered contemporaneously by Military Officials at the Mullaitivu Army camp where the surrender took place with family members and other thousands of peoples watching the act of surrender and registration thereof.

The Commission expressed its dissatisfaction over it and directed that representatives of the Army be present in person to make representations to the Commission on the next date. Hearing was adjourned for the 28th of March 2023.

This is the second time CHRD has used the Commission of RTI on behalf of victim communities in the North and East.