Parliament to appoint Select Committee to look into recent terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka

May 22, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Parliament will appoint a Select Committee to look into and report to Parliament on the terrorist attacks that took place in different places in Sri Lanka on 21 April 2019.

The committee and its chair will be nominated by the Speaker and the committee will not consist of more than twelve members.

The committee will present its report within 3 months of the date of its first sitting or such other or further time period as Parliament may grant.

Terrorist attacks that took place in different places in Sri Lanka have resulted in loss of the lives of over 250 persons, causing injuries to persons, and damage of property.

Objectives of the Select Committee:

(a) whether law enforcement authorities had received intelligence reports relating to such attacks, prior thereto;
(b) whether the relevant authorities took adequate measures to prevent and/ or mitigate such attacks;
(c) whether there were deficiencies in the State machinery that led to the inability to prevent or mitigate the effects of such attacks;
(d) any other factors which contributed to such terrorist attacks;
(e) what action should be taken to prevent such attacks in future; and
(f) any other matters connected or incidental thereto.

Powers of the Select Committee:

(a) fix its quorum;
(b) send for persons, papers or records, may order any person to attend before Parliament or before such Committee, and to produce any paper, book, record or document in the possession or under the control of such person;

(c) verify or otherwise ascertain by oral examination of witnesses and examine witnesses upon oath or affirmation which the Chair of the Committee or a person specially authorized for that purpose may administer;
(d) conduct the meetings, in any parts of the country, outside the Parliament;
(e) obtain the services of Specialists and Experts in the relevant fields to assist the Committee; and
(f) make interim reports from time to time and to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of Parliament.