Intl. involvement in SL accountability mechanism not ruled out: Ranil

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the government is putting together a mechanism for accountability and reconciliation before the next United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meeting in Geneva in June and the government had not ruled out the international involvement in the domestic mechanism.

“We have not ruled it out, he has not ruled it out. Our first prong is the people itself. Whatever else we do they might find also the benefit and that’s a long process we have started,” he said in an interview with Jon Snow of Britain’s Channel 4 news Tuesday.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the government is standing by with the commitment it made on the Geneva resolution.

He said the government was putting together the mechanism for accountability and reconciliation by May or so before the UN Council meets in Geneva and would have their proposal ready.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe

“I don’t think there is anything to be worried about. We are all people who fought for it. I put my neck out more than anyone else and by May all these doubts will go out,” he said.

When asked about the number of people killed during the war, the Premier said there were a large number of people killed but there are questions about the 40,000 number estimated by UN and the government is interested in finding out the actual number.

“There were large numbers killed, but we have a question mark in this 40,000 but we are interested in finding out the actual number,” the PM said adding that the government is more than ready with the international community to determine the final number of dead.

When asked about the disappeared, the Prime Minister said they are “probably dead” and stressed that there are no detention centers holding the disappeared.

The Premier said he is certain that there are no secret detention centers in the North or South and only 292 in detention are known to the government.

“There are no detention centers in the North or South...I am certain. The 292 in detention are known to the government...no others,” he said.

“If they haven’t come they are probably dead,” he said adding that “We have to find out what happened. People need an answer,” the Premier said.

When asked whether there is a facility to prosecute the former government officials including the former president and defense secretary for abuse of power, the PM replied the many abuses of power can only be investigated by a parliamentary select committee or a presidential commission of inquiry and whatever the mechanism they will be prosecuted if there is abuse of power.