BRITAIN WILL BACK A GENUINE WAR CRIMES PROBE BY SL
Britain has said it would fully support the Sri Lankan Government if it sets in motion a genuine and credible domestic process to investigate allegations of war crimes by
March2014.
We have also highlighted the fact that any domestic process should be credible, independent and transparent
“We have also highlighted the fact that any domestic process should be credible, independent and transparent if it is to be accepted by the international community. We do not believe that any of the processes established to date by the Sri Lankan Government such as the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission meet these standards,” Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire told the British Parliament
He said that in her September 2013 statement to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the UN Human Rights Chief Navaneetham Pillay stated that during her visit to Sri Lanka she had not detected any new or comprehensive efforts to investigate alleged war crimes.
“At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo in November, Prime Minister David Cameron made clear to President Rajapaksa that unless a credible national accountability process has begun properly by March 2014 we will use our position on the UN Human
We do not believe that any of the processes established to date by the Sri Lankan Government such as the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission meet these standards
Rights Council to call for an international investigation. If a genuine and credible process has begun properly by March 2014, we would give it our full support,” Mr. Swire said.