Submission to Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms

Photo Amantha Perera/IRIN

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@groundviews making a submission before CTF at today's consultation with media orgs #srilanka #lka #pubconsl pic.twitter.com/MKhkfMzhre

— CTF (@ctfsl) June 28, 2016

Groundviews, along with Maatram and Vikalpa, were invited to present submissions to a Sectoral Meeting of the Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms, held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institution (SLFI) on 28 June 2016.

The invitation from the Consultations Task Force (CTF) laid out the framework for the submission and also had a helpful FAQ to guide our understanding of what was expected. As noted in the FAQ, the consultations will focus on mechanisms to be established for reconciliation. The Government has already stated that it will be considering the following mechanisms:

1. A Judicial Mechanism with a Special Counsel
2. A Truth, Justice, Reconciliation and Non-Recurrence Commission
3. An Office of Reparations
4. An Office of Missing Persons

The CTF is seeking suggestions on these and other mechanisms, processes and measures that would bring about justice, truth and reconciliation.

The written submissions and supporting documents presented to the CTF are available below. Though we specifically focussed on a Truth, Justice, Reconciliation and Non-Recurrence Commission and an Office of Reparations, we repeatedly noted that what we outlined was applicable more broadly and across all four mechanisms.

1. Submission to the CTF
2. Media output and content production strategy by theme (supporting document)
3. Media output and content production strategy by institution (supporting document)
4. Media output and content production strategy by phase (supporting document)

A recording of our submission can be listened to here, or below.

In response to the questions posed by the CTF, Groundviews emailed a detailed submission to the CTF on 29 June. This submission, which builds on the one submitted verbally and in writing on 28 June 2016 is anchored to questions around the nature of violence against the media as well how the Consultation Task Force (CTF) could raise awareness around (1) the consultations process (2) the buy-in to the four mechanisms, amongst in particular the population in the South.

Download it here.