News
Ex-MP backs BASL chief’s call for domestic war crimes probe
The Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led peoples’ government and the country’s armed forces must consider seriously the advice given by President’s Counsel Anura Meddegoda, in his capacity as the new President of the BASL, former State Counsel and ex- parliamentarian M. M. Zuhair said in a statement issued over the weekend.
Declaring that Sri Lanka must investigate alleged war crimes through a domestic mechanism, Meddegoda had said, “If war crimes aren’t investigated (here), even political leaders might face travel restrictions”.
Zuhair stated: “In my view, not only political leaders but also investigators, prosecutors and even judges and their families, who fail to uphold human right laws, may get exposed not only for international travel restrictions but also for other forms of legal harassment. Anura Meddegoda PC had served for nearly a decade assisting the International Criminal Court (ICC)
Geneva with reference to the human rights violations in the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia. Prior to that, he had served in the Attorney General’s Department of Sri Lanka for nearly two decades. He is also the current President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), though his views have been made in his personal capacity. He is spot on when he says Sri Lankan political leaders can be prosecuted in the ICC for alleged war crimes, even though we are not parties to the Rome Statute.
It is understandable that the three-member new Cabinet may not have had reasonable time to give fresh ‘course changing’ directions to the Foreign Ministry, which continued the former governments’ policy on the matter at the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UN HRC) sessions, concluded on Friday 11th October 2024. The government must, as advised, opt for ‘internal investigations of war crimes’ and avoid external interference as a matter of priority soon after the 14/11 General Elections. A genuine domestic investigation into the war crimes alleged against the armed forces as well as the LTTE and prosecutions of suspected offenders will help clear the armed forces from the oft repeated accusations of war crimes alleged against the country. Prosecutions of offenders, if any, will bring to an end, the otherwise much more harmful consequences of the HRC set up special mechanism on Sri Lanka, which is already engaged in monitoring, collecting and reporting on the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka. At the just concluded Geneva sessions, the HRC has not only extended the period for collection of evidence but has also decided to ‘reinforce’ the HRC’s capacity to collect evidence of Sri Lanka’s HR violations.
Instead of rejecting outright the HRC resolution 51/1, domestic investigations and prosecutions, as suggested by Meddegoda, would certainly be in the national interest, given also the fact that the powerful core group pushing the war crimes allegations in the international fora includes the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada amongst others. More importantly, in order to overcome our economic plight, we need to work with the Western controlled international financial institutions.
ICC prosecutions will be in addition to possible arrest and prosecutions under the extra territorial jurisdictions envisaged by the UN HRC in any country that chooses to prosecute, with evidence being collected not only of war crimes but also all other reported cases of human rights violations, based on Sri Lankan constitutional provisions as well as under international human rights and humanitarian laws as the prosecuting country decides. The government must change course in the UNHRC on war crimes issues. A local investigation of allegations does not mean admission of war crimes!
There is no point at that time of screaming that Israel is not being prosecuted for far more serious crimes of genocide and apartheid in Palestine.”
Latest News
Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Kalutara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
The Landslide Early Warning Centre of the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued early warnings to the Districts of Kalutara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura from 1600hrs on 13th June 2026 till 1600hrs on 14th June 2026.
Accordingly,
LEVEL I (YELLOW) landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surounding areas of Palindanuwara and Agalawatta in the Kalutara district, Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya and Ayagama, Pelmadulla,
Godakawela, Elapatha, Kalawana, Ratnapura and Nivithigala in the Ratnapura district.
News
INS Sharda departs Colombo concluding replenishment visit
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Sharda’ departed the island today (13 Jun 26), concluding her replenishment purposes.
On departure the vessel was accorded a traditional naval farewell by the Sri Lanka Navy at the Port of Colombo.
The visit also paved the way for vibrant personnel interactions, fostering camaraderie and goodwill. The crew of INS Sharda and personnel from the Sri Lanka Navy participated in a
friendly volleyball match and a joint yoga session. A
dditionally, Sri Lanka Navy personnel had the opportunity to visit the Indian naval vessel, while the visiting crew took time to explore several culturally significant landmarks across the island.
Latest News
Special Dengue Prevention Week declared in Colombo District from June 15 to 21
A decision has been taken to declare a Special Dengue Prevention Week from 15 to 21 of June by the Colombo District Dengue Control Committee to curb the spread of the disease in the Colombo District.
This decision was taken at the meeting of the Colombo District Dengue Control Committee held on Friday (12) at the Colombo District Secretariat under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
Compared to last year, the number of dengue cases reported this year has increased significantly. According to the National Dengue Control Unit, approximately 39,100 dengue cases have been reported island wide to date, of which 25.8% have been recorded in the Colombo District. Following this situation, the Colombo District has been identified as a high-risk district.
Health authorities informed that the increasing spread of the disease has been influenced not only by the nature of circulating virus but also to the lack of sufficient immunity among the population. They further noted that the recent period of heavy rainfall has aggravated the spread of Dengue.
It was also identified that the current outbreak is being reported more frequently from public places such as government institutions, private establishments, schools, and religious venues rather than from residential premises. Observations have identified improperly managed solid waste and drainage systems in offices and other public locations as major breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Accordingly, during the Dengue Prevention Week from 15 to 21 June, a series of measures will be implemented, including, organising community clean-up campaigns in government and private institutions, schools, residential areas, and other public spaces; Conducting inspections of high-risk premises by Divisional Secretariats and taking legal action, where necessary, followed by awareness programmes; Distributing informational leaflets, displaying banners, and carrying out public awareness campaigns through the media. Health authorities also requested school administrations not to involve students below Grade 10 in school cleaning programmes and to immediately notify the relevant Medical Officer of Health (MOH) office if a student is diagnosed with dengue.
The programme is expected to receive the active support and participation of the district’s political leadership, religious leaders of all faiths, public officials, local government institutions, the tri-forces, the police, and the general public.
The event was attended by the Chairperson of the District Coordination Committee, Members of Parliament, representatives of local government authorities, government secretaries, police officers, and officials representing the education and health sectors, among others.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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