US CONSIDERS INT'L INQUIRY ON SRI LANKA

GoSL has failed in credible investigation through own mechanism Ambassador's visit an ideal opportunity to meet with relevant parties

The US would look for this option on the basis that the GoSL had failed to do a credible investigation though its own mechanism

Visiting United States Ambassador-at-Large Stephen J. Rapp told a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation that the United States (US) would look at the option of an international inquiry into alleged human rights violations and accountability issues during the last stages of the war. Mr. Rapp heads the

Office of Global Criminal Justice that advises the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State for

Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights on issues related to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

He had a dinner meeting with TNA MPs M.A. Sumanthiran and Mavai Senathirajah on Tuesday evening at the residence of the US Ambassador accredited to Colombo Michele J. Sison.

Mr. Sumanthiran told Daily Mirror that the US would look for this option on the basis that the government of Sri Lanka had failed to do a credible investigation though its own mechanism, as envisaged in the two previous resolutions adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Apart from what happened during the last stages of the war, the TNA MP said he, along with Mr.

The United States government has long advocated for independent, thorough and credible investigations into serious allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law during the conflict

Senathirajah, highlighted the recent incidents such land-grabbing, unleashing of violence, and the discovery of human skeletal remains from a mass grave in

Mannar.

"All these matters should be looked into," he said. The TNA has also stressed the need for international action through the UNHRC for what he called ascertainment of the truth. The UNHRC session would be held in March this year. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay was expected to submit her report on March 26.

Meanwhile, US embassy spokesman said, "The United States government has long advocated for independent, thorough and credible investigations into serious allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law during the conflict. Ambassador Rapp's visit is an ideal opportunity to meet with relevant parties and provide input on steps that the Government of Sri Lanka could take in order to move forward with the processes of reconciliation, justice and accountability issues.

The United States continues to be concerned about a range of human rights issues in Sri Lanka, which include insufficient progress on accountability and reconciliation, land seizures, religiously motivated attacks and unsolved cases of attacks on journalists. These realities lead us to believe that Sri Lanka should remain on the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council.

The recent incidents such land-grabbing, unleashing of violence, and the discovery of human skeletal remains from a mass grave in Mannar must be looked into