The Government is to appoint a special group headed by Attorney-General Mohan Peiris PC, to address important human rights issues and report to the Cabinet on measures to address them.

The group is to include representatives from key stakeholders such as the Ministries of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Foreign Affairs, Justice and Law Reforms, the Attorney General's Department and the Police Department.

The decision to appoint a special group has been arrived at by the Inter Ministerial Committee on Human Rights (IMCHR), chaired by Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, at its 24th meeting held on July 17, 2008. It is to submit their reports to the Cabinet through Minister Samarasinghe.

A release by the Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry pointed out that the Government had launched several initiatives to implement the voluntary pledges it made, and the recommendations of the working group that it accepted during the UN Human Rights Councils Universal Periodic Review process in May 2008, in keeping with Sri Lanka's international obligations in the sphere of human rights.

The themes and issues to be addressed on a priority basis are, clarification of outstanding cases of alleged disappearances dating from the 1980's to the present, an urgent plan to address alleged instances of torture and abductions/disappearances, co-ordination with key Government focal points on the alleged cases of extra - judicial executions and collation of information on the action taken, implementation of recommendations made by UN Special Rapporteur on torture Prof. Manfred Nowak.

A policy paper on the training of Police Officers in the area of human rights and finalization of consultation on the proposed National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights is being developed.

Foremost among them would be a time - bound Action Plan on torture and disappearances which would help realization of the Governments stated zero - tolerance policy in relation to alleged violations of human rights.