Meeting this week to discuss Weliweriya incident: HRCSL

Five senior HRCSL officials had visited the Weliweriya area and a preliminary report would be issued soon.

Conducting a separate inquiry into the Weliweriya incident, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has invited civil society organisations and public representatives to attend a meeting this week on the Weliweriya tragedy, Human Rights Commissioner Prathibha Mahanamahewa said yesterday.

The commissioner said the clash erupted between villagers and the security forces and the drinking water crisis and hardship faced by the villagers of Rathupaswala and surrounding areas would be discussed at this meeting scheduled to be held this week.

He further said the civil society organisations, public representatives and religious leaders in the area would be invited for the meeting and their views and ideas would be considered when issuing recommendations to relevant authorities. On August 5, the HRCSL had invited 26 state institutions to attend a special meeting to discuss the issues relating to the Weliweriya incident.

Meanwhile, five senior HRCSL officials had visited the Weliweriya area and a preliminary report would be issued soon. The officials had gathered information from the police station, the hospitals where those injured were treated, the church and the homes of the victims.