IRCC to settle cases related to war crimes - Harsha

The Government hopes that the Inter-Religious Compassionate Council to be set up under the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution would settle the majority of the cases related to alleged war crimes and human rights violations.

“Sri Lanka being a multi-religious society, will have religious leaders sitting on what is called a compassionate council, and we believe that an absolute major part

of the cases would be solved and sorted out at the Compassionate Council,” Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva said.

He noted that despite being a process within local law, foreign expertise in the form of facilitators, lawyers and judges would be required.

The investigations would be carried out by the Special Counsel’s office, and the findings then be forwarded to the Truth Commission and the Compassionate Council, and in exceptional cases, to domestic Courts. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had recently said that South African help would be sought in creating such a domestic process unique to Sri Lanka, similar to how the South Africans overcame the Apartheid era with its Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Sri Lanka being a multi-religious society, will have religious leaders sitting on what is called a compassionate council,and we believe that an absolute major part of the cases would be solved and sorted out at the Compassionate Council

However, the South African High Commissioner Geoff Doige this week warned Sri Lanka to not to be comfortable, as South Africa had never made an international commitment. “We wanted to take ownership of this resolution. There’s nothing to fear. It is based on the four pillars of truth, justice, reparations and non-recurrence,” Dr. de Silva said when presenting his view. He said that the other option would have been to become bystanders and have no control over the process.