Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says, the government will keep the ball rolling for a local judicial mechanism and will only seek foreign expert help when necessary to investigate alleged human rights abuses linked to the war.
Addressing media heads in Colombo yesterday Wickremesinghe had said that the government has discussed matters with the US and it will be Sri Lanka which will create necessary laws and mechanisms with foreign expert help when needed.
However, the Premier said foreign expert help will be sought when necessary to ensure the efficient functioning of the mechanism.
The Prime Minister also confirmed that Sri Lanka will co-sponsor the resolution with the US.
The draft resolution tabled last week at the UNHRC proposed that the Lankan judicial mechanism should obtain assistance from the Special Counsel’s office, of the Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers, and prosecutors.
The Prime Minister had went on to state that repeated resolution by the US against the country was the result of previous Rajapaksa regime, which agreed to uphold international humanitarian laws at the UNHRC in 2009, failing to keep its promises.
The Premier said if President Sirisena had not triumphed at the Januaray 08 polls Sri Lanka may have faced a number of problems including possible economic sanctions.
Wickremesinghe stressed that government’s agreement in the UNHRC was not intended to make security forces members or anyone else scapegoats.
On the domestic process Wickremesinghe said the government will establish a “Truth Commission”.
He said it will have a branch named the ‘Compassionate Council’ which will include religious leaders.
He said a Missing Persons Office and a special counsel’s office too will be set up.