SLFP Media Spokesman Dilan Perera at the media briefing. Minister Faiszer Mustapha is also present – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

By Chamodi Gunawardana

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday asserted that the US resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka did not carry contain a proposal for the establishment of a hybrid court. 

SLFP Media Spokesman and State Minister of Highways Dilan Perera said the US resolution had become a lightning rod for racist propaganda.

“Opposing opinions on the formation of an international mechanism into war crimes investigations depend on the imagination. This crucial situation is used by politicians for their own interest. The sad story is that senior and respectable politicians such as D.E.W. Gunasekara and Tissa Vitarana also do the same,” he claimed.

The Minister further said that no foreign judge could conduct trials in Sri Lanka without completing the required local law qualifications. 

“International judges should complete local qualifications to enter the domestic judicial system. Without them, they only can provide assistance and guidance for local judges into war crime investigations,” he stressed.

Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faiszer Mustapha added that according to line 4C of the Constitution, the Government could not establish a special court via a US proposal. 

“A formation of a court could be done through the Constitution or a special Cabinet paper. Therefore we do not need to be afraid about the US resolution this much,” he said. 

Delimitations to re-gazette, says Faiszer

​Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Faiszer Mustapha yesterday predictably said that the delimitations of electorates would be re-gazetted if the delimitation technical committee recommended it.

“The previous report of Delimitation Commission was handed over to the President, but some parties have claimed errors. I appointed a technical committee comprised of delimitation experts to review the limitations. If they recommend any amendments, the delimitations should be re-gazetted,” he explained. 

“However it would not be a reason to postpone the local government election which is scheduled for next March,” Faiszer asserted.

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