After Sri Lanka co-sponsored the UNHRC resolution which proposed an investigation lead by international judges into the war crimes, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has said that a judicial mechanism will be formed but with “domestic one” advocates and not “hybrid one”.
“We have removed the term hybrid from the US draft. We have firmly taken the stand that it is a domestic mechanism which will be implemented in Sri Lanka”, said President Maithripala addressing a special media briefing after his return from UN General Assembly in New York.
He also assured that the mechanism will adhere to the Sri Lankan constitution.
Talking about the UNHRC’s decision to appoint foreign judges in the investigation, President said that it was a “suggestion and not a directive.”
The President said that an all-party conference and a religious leaders’ conference will be organised to find solutions for the issues raised at the UNHRC conference.
Sirisena told The New York Times that after amending the constitution, it is impossible to set-up an international court in the country which he was “extremely difficult.”
A resolution to set-up a special court with international judges was passed in the UNHRC without a vote on Thursday and Sri-Lanka had co-sponsored the move, so it is bound to follow it.
The reaction to the UN resolution from the parties in India was of dissatisfaction. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said that such a move is not going to benefit the Sri-Lankan Tamils in any way and Vaiko called the resolution as core betrayal to the Sri-Lankan Tamils. However, the BJP president Tamilsai Soundarajan welcomed the move.