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Sri Lanka to stick to local judicial process to probe allegations

Xinhua, September 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Sri Lankan government said on Sunday that it would stick to a local judicial process to investigate alleged human rights abuses related to the war.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told local media heads that the government had discussed this with the United States which had moved a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.

The resolution has proposed that the Sri Lankan judicial mechanism obtains assistance from the Special Counsel's office of the Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers, and authorized prosecutors and investigators.

The prime minister said the Sri Lanka government will setup a special counsel to handle the operations of some of the investigations and foreign lawyers and judges can assist the special counsel if such assistance is required.

A new law will also be introduced to give powers to the special counsel and foreign judges who look to assist the investigations process will need to operate under the Sri Lankan system.

The prime minister assured that the new government is committed to upholding democracy and also ensured a political solution to the national issue.

He said that among the mechanisms which will be established to address some of the human rights concerns is a Truth Commission.

He said that the Truth Commission will have a compassionate council with the participation of religious leaders.

The prime minister said that Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera will explain Sri Lanka's position to the UNHRC this week when Sri Lanka is discussed at the ongoing 30th session of the UNHRC in Geneva. Endi