News
Referring SL to ICC futile exercise, UK tells pro-LTTE groups
UN Security Council support cannot be mustered for anti-SL move
Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbeldon has told the UK-based pro-LTTE groups that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction to investigate Sri Lanka. The ICC could only do so if Sri Lanka accepted its jurisidiction, or if the UN Security Council adopts a resolution to refer Sri Lanka to the ICC.
The UK didn not think such a step would have sufficient support among Security Council members and it would not help accountability in Sri Lanka for an ICC referral to fail to win Security Council support or be vetoed, Lord Ahmad said.
Ahmad is also the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict.
The following is the full text of Lord Ahmad’s letter to the pro-LTTE groups:
“Thank you for your correspondence of 1 March and petition regarding the UK’s approach to Sri Lanka at the 46th UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and for recommending amendments to the draft resolution.
“I recognise the points you have raised, and understand that achieving justice, peace and accountability is a priority for all Sri Lankans affected by the conflict. Please be assured that this is a long standing priority for the UK, and that we regularly raise the importance of justice and accountability with the government of Sri Lanka, both privately and publicly.
“We have highlighted our concerns about the lack of progress towards accountability and the wider human rights situation, including in our statements to the UNHRC in February, June and September 2020. As Minister of State for South Asia and Minister responsible for Human Rights, I set out our serious concerns about human rights in Sri Lanka in a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 25 February.
“I have also raised the importance of accountability, justice and reconciliation on several occasions with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, most recently during calls on 12 February and 22 January respectively.
“We will continue to press for a strong role for the UNHRC to help deliver accountability and reconciliation and ensure the protection of human rights in Sri Lanka. The UK is working hard to build support for the new resolution on Sri Lanka. The resolution will provide a continued framework for international engagement on human rights in Sri Lanka, and will highlight our serious concerns about the situation, including those detailed in the recent report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
“It will call on the government of Sri Lanka to make progress on accountability and human rights, and will stress the importance of a comprehensive accountability process for all violations and abuses committed in Sri Lanka. It will keep Sri Lanka firmly on the UNHRC agenda and will request continued and enhanced OHCHR reporting on the human rights situation and on accountability. Importantly, it will also strengthen the capacity of OHCHR to consolidate, preserve and analyse information and evidence to support future accountability processes.
“I take note of your request to make amendments to the draft resolution. We believe the resolution the UK has presented to the UNHRC is an ambitious one that can pass in the face of challenging UNHRC dynamics. Voting members of the Council change every year, and current voting members are not the same as those who voted on previous resolutions.
“The 2021 composition is particularly challenging for consideration of country resolutions. The risk of losing a vote is very serious, and tabling an unwinnable resolution would likely result in the end of any accountability process and would be a crushing blow to the victims and all those who have fought for justice and accountability. A failed resolution would also see Sri Lanka removed from the agenda of the UNHRC, making it more difficult to draw international attention to the human rights concerns identified in the recent report by OHCHR. While we will continue to consider amendments to our resolution during the course of negotiations, we strongly believe that it is the best way of achieving accountability and justice for all those affected by the conflict.
“In your email, you ask that Sri Lanka is referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Sri Lanka is not a party to the Rome Statute which established the ICC. As a result, the ICC has no jurisdiction to investigate Sri Lanka. It could only do so if Sri Lanka accepts the jurisdiction of the ICC, or if the UN Security Council refers Sri Lanka to the ICC through a resolution. We do not judge that this step would have sufficient support among Security Council members. Moreover, it would not help accountability in Sri Lanka for an ICC referral to fail to win Security Council support or be vetoed.
“In regards to establishing an International Independent Investigative Mechanism, we agree on the importance of preserving information and evidence gathered so far. Our draft resolution therefore requests OHCHR to consolidate, analyse and preserve this information so it can be used in future accountability processes. This will build on the work of previous resolutions, including the 2014 resolution which mandated a comprehensive OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL).
“On the question of appointing a Special Rapporteur, we do not believe this would prove beneficial in the current circumstances since, at present, the High Commissioner for Human Rights is herself at the forefront of the UN’s efforts. Our draft resolution will request enhanced reporting by OHCHR to ensure that both the UN and the Human Rights Council remain focused on the situation in Sri Lanka.
“On the question of a referendum to determine the aspirations of the Tamil people, we recognise your strength of feeling on this matter. The UK Government has long supported peace building and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, and called for the rights of all Sri Lankans to be respected. Through UK-funded programmes, we have supported a number of activities to benefit those in the north and east of the country, including demining, resettlement of internally displaced persons and interfaith dialogue. We continue to urge the Government of Sri Lanka to deliver on reconciliation and political inclusion for all Sri Lankans. However, we do not think it is realistic to include a reference to a referendum on Tamil self-determination in the draft UNHRC resolution. Please be assured that justice, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka will remain a priority for the UK government.”
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that promoting the local industrial sector is one of the key priorities of the Government.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while attending the official opening ceremony of the INCO 2026 Industrial Exhibition on 13 th of March, which is being held for the 20th consecutive year at the BMICH Exhibition Center.
The INCO 2026 Industrial Exhibition, organized by the Institution of Incorporated Engineers, Sri Lanka (IIESL), will be held from March 13 to 15.
Addressing at the event, Prime Minister stated:
“The engineering sector is a key driving force in addressing practical challenges faced by a country while enhancing efficiency and safety. In particular, the contribution extended by exhibitions of this nature encourages the student community to engage in innovation.
The Government has implemented several measures to accelerate the country’s industrial development. Notably, the National Industry Information System (NIIS) has established a centralized digital platform to collect data related to the country’s economic and industrial activities. The Government is also taking steps to provide necessary financial support to industrialists through Revolving Funds.
It is also noteworthy that this year’s exhibition has attracted international participation, creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs to explore new markets and gain exposure to international technologies. With the participation of engineers, students, and entrepreneurs, this exhibition marks an important step toward the country’s industrial future”.
The event was attended by the Chairman of the Export Development Board Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the National Paper Company Limited Upali Rathnayake, President of the Institution of Incorporated Engineers, Sri Lanka Engineer Ananda Gunawardena, along with local and foreign investors, entrepreneurs, and industrialists.
(Prime Minister’s Media Division)
Chief Magistrate draws CB attention to massive drain in foreign exchange through cryptocurrency deals
Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama yesterday observed that loopholes in actions carried out by State financial institutions, under the Foreign Exchange Act, had enabled funds in Sri Lanka to be transferred overseas, through cryptocurrency transactions.
The Magistrate said immediate steps should be taken to curb such activities and to educate the public, and directed that the matter be brought to the attention of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
He noted that cryptocurrency transactions carried out, using modern technology without approval from the Central Bank, had taken place without adequate public awareness, adding that incidents of the nature were increasingly being reported before courts.
The Magistrate observed that investigations into such incidents appeared to be confined to court proceedings alone and emphasised that the Central Bank, as the country’s principal financial regulator, together with other relevant institutions, should take appropriate measures and raise public awareness in the interest of the public and the country.
He also said the Criminal Investigation Department and the Central Bank should take steps to educate the public on such financial frauds and introduce a proper mechanism to address the issue.
The court further observed that many individuals had exploited loopholes in the Foreign Exchange Act and related procedures to commit financial fraud, and stressed that the Central Bank should take necessary action upon being apprised of such matters.
The Magistrate made these observations when a case relating to an alleged Rs. 290 million fraud at a well-known private bank was taken up before court yesterday. The suspects are alleged to have fraudulently obtained public funds through cryptocurrency transactions using accounts on Binance.
The Magistrate also directed the Criminal Investigation Department to expedite investigations into the disappearance of Rs. 290 million and report progress to court.Observing that the incident was not an ordinary case, the Magistrate instructed the CID to take prompt action to prevent similar frauds carried out through Binance platforms.
Making further observations, the Magistrate noted that the suspects had been produced before court, over the past three months, in connection with the incident, and stressed that investigations should be completed promptly by gathering all relevant information.
He earlier observed that the case did not involve a minor offence, such as ordinary theft, but a serious matter concerning the fraudulent misappropriation of public funds, through Binance accounts, and emphasised the need for swift action to prevent such crimes.
Nineteen suspects, connected to the incident, had earlier been remanded and subsequently released on bail.
The case was fixed to be called again on 15 May .
The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) has issued a public advisory urging internet users to exercise caution when engaging with online advertisements in the run-up to the festive season.
Senior Information Security Engineer at SLCERT, Charuka Damunupola, said that several incidents of online scams had already been reported to the organisation during the first two months of this year.
He warned that with the approaching Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the risk of fraudulent advertisements and malicious links, appearing online, was likely to increase, often disguised as discount offers, cash prizes, or special promotional deals.
Damunupola noted that such links frequently redirect users to fraudulent websites designed to harvest personal information and other sensitive data.
He further cautioned that during the Vesak and Poson festive periods, scammers may attempt to collect user data through deceptive schemes promoted under various guises, including campaigns such as ‘Poson Maha Data Dansala.’
SLCERT has, therefore, urged the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution when clicking on unsolicited links or advertisements encountered online.
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