A/HRC/30/61 to their lack of independence and follow-up to their recommendations highlighted in previous reports of OHCHR (see A/HRC/25/23). 58. Since January 2015, President Sirisena and other government figures have struck a very different tone on reconciliation in public statements. On Independence Day, 4 February, the Government issued a special “declaration of peace” in three languages in which it expressed sympathy and regret for all the victims of the 30-year armed conflict, and pledged to advance “national reconciliation, justice and equality for all citizens”. 59. By a cabinet decision dated 25 March 2015, the Government established a new Office of National Unity and Reconciliation, headed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, with a mandate to drive progress on pending issues such as the release of detainees and civilian land occupied by the military. The Government also continued to place emphasis on implementation of the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. A. Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints regarding Missing Persons 60. At the time of writing, there were indications that the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints regarding Missing Persons appointed by the previous Government had received a further extension to complete its work, 5 despite widespread concerns raised about its credibility and effectiveness. In June 2015, two additional Commissioners were appointed to expedite the hearing of cases. In July, the Government also announced the appointment of a special investigative team to expedite investigation into some cases, although its status is not known. 61. As at 30 June, the Commission had received a total of 16,826 complaints of missing civilians and 5,000 complaints relating to missing members of the security forces; 2,200 complainants were subsequently invited to give testimony at 47 public hearings in different districts. 62. Reports from independent observers and organizations working with families of the disappeared continued to criticize the lack of transparency and public information, the conduct of proceedings, and intimidation and harassment of family members by military and intelligence officials (see A/HRC/27/CRP.2). These concerns were raised with the Government by the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances in February 2014 (see A/HRC/WGEID/102/1, paras. 128-138 and A/HRC/WGEID/103/1, para. 157), although they were largely rejected at the time. 63. The Commission presented its first interim report to the President on 10 April 2015 and is reported to have submitted its second; neither report has been published. OHCHR did, however, obtained access to a copy of the first report, which sheds some light on the work of the Commission. The Commission’s analysis of written complaints shows that the security forces accounted for 19 per cent of them, LTTE for 17 per cent, and persons or groups unknown for more than 50 per cent. A larger proportion of LTTE cases appear, however, to have been invited for the public hearings, raising questions of selectivity. It also reported complaints received against paramilitary groups such as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal /Karuna Group and the Eelam People’s Democratic Party. 5 12 In 2014, the beginning of the period covered by the Commission was extended back from 1 June 1990 to 1 January 1983.