The Jaffna library with 95,000 volumes and culturally important manuscripts was destroyed in 1981. More than 2,000 Tamils were killed in the July 1983 violence, which led to exodus of Tamils and the rise of the LTTE. Senior government officers and security forces are alleged to have been involved in both. Apparently for this reason, both the UNP and PA governments refused hitherto to conduct an enquiry, despite repeated demands by Amnesty International.
Tamil observers suspect that the President has now appointed the Commission for the sole purpose of embarrassing the opposition UNP, which is spearheading the move for a no-confidence motion against the government in Parliament. The UNP was in power between 1981 and 1984.
Since July 1983, almost a million Tamils have fled abroad and currently 800,000 are internally displaced. Any evidence gathered by the Commission will not be the whole truth. Perhaps this is what the government wants.