The Sri Lankan Cabinet has confirmed that the Batalanda Commission Report will be presented to Parliament this week, after a disastrous interview by former president Ranil Wickremesinghe on Al Jazeera aired last week.
The decision follows a special focus on the report by Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a recent Cabinet meeting, where extensive discussions were held on the matter, Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced.
The Batalanda Commission, officially titled the Commission of Inquiry into the Establishment and Maintenance of Places of Unlawful Detention and Torture Chambers at the Batalanda Housing Scheme, was appointed in 1995 by then-President Chandrika Kumaratunga. The commission was tasked with investigating serious human rights violations, illegal detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings that allegedly took place at the Batalanda Housing Scheme during the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection.
At the heart of these allegations is former President and six-time Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, who was accused of providing political cover for police death squads operating from Batalanda. The report, submitted in March 1998, concluded that Wickremesinghe had direct knowledge of these human rights abuses but stopped short of recommending legal action. Despite its damning findings, the report was never fully implemented.
The Batalanda Commission Report has resurfaced in public discourse following Wickremesinghe’s disastrous interview on Al Jazeera’s 'Head to Head', where he was questioned about his role in the Batalanda torture chambers by Mehdi Hasan. In a heated exchange, Wickremesinghe first denied the existence of the report, only to later question its validity. His evasive responses and refusal to engage with the topic further fuelled calls for a renewed investigation.
Following the interview, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala announced that the Sri Lankan government would launch a fresh inquiry into Wickremesinghe's alleged role in Batalanda, as well as his links to the Central Bank bond scam and the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
Speaking at the weekly Cabinet press briefing, Jayatissa confirmed that the government had given significant attention to the Batalanda report during its latest Cabinet meeting.
The Cabinet had an extensive discussion on the report and decided to present it to Parliament for further action, he claimed, stating that once the report is tabled, subsequent decisions and actions will be announced.
When asked whether the report would be submitted merely for discussion or whether steps would be taken to implement its findings, Dr. Jayatissa clarified that the Attorney General’s Department would be responsible for taking any necessary legal action.
Dr. Jayatissa dismissed speculation that the government’s decision to table the report was a politically motivated move against Wickremesinghe. He claimed that transparency and accountability were the primary reasons for presenting the report.
The minister assured that the government is committed to addressing the findings of the report in line with public expectations. He further noted that the upcoming parliamentary discussions will be crucial in determining the next course of action.
