UN supports credible domestic probe

By Jayashika Padmasiri
The United Nations (UN) said yesterday that it supported a credible domestic probe, which met international standards, into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka and asked the Government to make maximum use of the time between now and September before the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) report was presented.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffery Feltman, at a press conference held yesterday in Colombo, said: “The Secretary-General believes strongly that we now have the opportunity to build on this existing foundation to renew and strengthen the partnership between Sri Lanka and the United Nations and between Sri Lanka and the international community.
“We in the United Nations recognise that Sri Lankans from across the country suffered during a long conflict. No community was immune and despite the work of many commissions, the list of grievances and unresolved issues remains long. As demonstrated by the speech of the Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs before the Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday, we are encouraged by this Government’s commitment to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights.”
Speaking further he said that a credible and tangible progress in these areas was a requirement to the achievement of sustainable peace and prosperity in Sri Lanka.
“I have urged Government leaders to take steps in the short term to address issues regarding land, detentions, disappearances and the military posture in civilian areas. Over the longer term, I have underscored in my meetings the expectation by the United Nations and by the international community that the Government will develop in the coming months a strong framework for accountability that meets international standards and norms and that is seen as credible across Sri Lanka. These are not easy tasks but we believe that they are essential tasks, expected by the international community and also by the citizens of this country,” he said.
Commenting on the efforts taken by the Government, Feltman said that the Sri Lankan Government was operating according to its own time line by asking for time until September and that therefore the Government should use this period fruitfully.
“This is a historic moment for Sri Lanka to seize. Will the Government live up to the international standards concerning human rights conventions? As the UN we really see an opportunity here and we are willing to provide help and advice for reconciliation in Sri Lanka and are willing to work in partnership with Sri Lanka to complete unfinished business left from the conflict. So we are all waiting to see how the Government will use the time between now and September which will lead to the presentation of the UNHRC report at the 30th UNHRC session,” he said.
Feltman added that the United Nations is committed to assisting in the process of accountability and reconciliation, through the Peacebuilding Fund and other facilities as appropriate.
“I know that the Secretary-General himself and the United Nations system more broadly will stand with the people and leaders of Sri Lanka as they address credibly and thoroughly the accountability and reconciliation issues that, once resolved, will contribute to Sri Lanka’s long-term peace and prosperity. In this, the 70th anniversary of the UN’s founding and the 60th year of Sri Lanka’s membership in the UN, we welcome the promise of renewed partnership,” he concluded.