President Mahinda Rajapaksa today appointed an International Advisory Panel to the Presidential Commission to investigate cases of alleged disappearances of persons in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

Sir Desmond de Silva has been named as Chairman of the three-member panel which also comprises of Sir Geoffrey Nice and Professor David Crane.

“President Mahinda Rajapaksa has broadened the scope of the mandate of the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons and appointed a three-member international panel of experts to advise the Commission,” a statement said.

The President has appointed the three eminent persons of international repute to serve on an Advisory Council to the Commission of Inquiry.

“The Advisory Council will advise the Commission, at their request, and may include other experts appointed by the President as and when necessary,” the statement said.

The three-member Commission, comprising Mr. Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama (Chairman), Mrs. Suranjana Vidyaratne and Mrs. Mano Ramanathan, was appointed in August 2013 and has been given the authority to conduct inquiries and investigations into complaints of missing persons, and submit a report to the President.

In February of this year, President Rajapaksa extended the mandate of the Commission by six months to August 12, 2014.