Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

NO MERCY FOR THOSE WHO KILLED FOR MONEY, JEWELLERY: RAJITHA

- BY SANDUN A JAYASEKERA

who have killed people for money and jewellery or those who tried to surrender with white flags and kidnapping­s would be brought to book for sure.

The government yesterday said it did not treat the loss of lives and injuries caused as a result of the war on both sides as crimes but those

It will definitely be a domestic inquiry conducted by a panel constitute­d on internatio­nal standards under the Sri Lanka’s legal framework and guidelines.

Cabinet spokesman and Minister Rajitha Senaratne told the weekly cabinet briefing yesterday that the government had accepted the necessity to initiate a credible domestic inquiry on alleged excesses during the final phase of the war as required by the global community.

‘It will definitely be a domestic inquiry conducted by a panel constitute­d on internatio­nal standards under the Sri Lanka’s legal framework and guidelines. There will be no direct foreign involvemen­t during the probe and those found guilty of atrocities will be charged before our own courts,” Dr. Senaratne stressed.

Minister Senaratne said the government expected the UNHRC report on Sri Lanka in August to be handed over to President Maithripal­a Sirisena. The government would decide on the next course of action after analyzing the contents and recommenda­tions of the report. It will be discussed in the cabinet and the armed forces commanders, the police chief and experts on internatio­nal humanitari­an law, human rights and war crimes will be consulted before a final decision.

Minister Senaratne said Wasim Thjudeen’s murder was a good case in point as suspicion had been directed at two soldiers for the brutal killing of the young Ruggerite on an alleged personal enmity of a son of a VVIP family.

A magisteria­l order has been obtained yesterday to exhume his body for a second autopsy and further inquiry. If the CID inquiries lead to the arrest any suspects, the government would not hesitate to bring them before the law notwithsta­nding their position or power, he stressed.

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