Colombo, Jan 6 (NIA) – Sri Lanka, on Friday, rejected a recommendation made by a high powered committee, to set up a hybrid court to probe war crimes which is alleged to have taken place in the final months of the Sri Lankan civil war.
Justice Minister, Wijedasa Rajapakse said the need for foreign judges did not exist as Sri Lanka’s justice system was competent to handle such investigations.
He further said the participation of foreign judges was unconstitutional.
The Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms which handed over its final report to former President Chandrika Bandarnaike Kumarathunga earlier this week, has called for a hybrid court to hear cases related to the war.
The Task Force has proposed that international participation in Sri Lanka be phased out once confidence is established in a purely domestic mechanism.
The government however is clear in its stand that a purely domestic mechanism will be used to investigate incidents related to the war while foreign technical assistance will be used if required.
The report of the Task Force combines and provides a detailed understanding of the consultations that have taken place over the past year.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has also welcomed the recommendations by the reconciliation Task Force, especially the call for foreign judges to be included in the accountability process on the war.
The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has always urged the creation of a hybrid court in Sri Lanka.
