Sri Lanka think tank calls for a genuine truth seeking mechanism

COLOMBO: A leading Sri Lankan think tank has called for a "genuine and credible domestic process" to probe allegations of human rights abuses in the country during the last phase of war with LTTE in 2009.

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), a leading public policy think tank here noted that the Commission, operating under the Commissions of Inquiry apparatus, is structurally flawed, given its dependence on the Executive for appointments, financing and follow up action.

Calling for a "genuine and credible domestic process at truth seeking, justice and accountability," the CPA warned that "failure in this regard further confirms the inability of domestic processes to address grievances in a post-war context and strengthens calls for international investigations."

The three-member Commission, headed by the retired judge Maxwell Paranagama, was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in August 2013.

His action was in response to international demands for a credible investigation into human rights abuses during Sri Lanka's ethnic separatist conflict between the government forces and LTTE militants, which ended in 2009.

Rajapaksa in July this year appointed three international experts to advise the panel. Later, three more international experts were added.

The Commission while holding public sittings in the former conflict zones have received nearly 20,000 complaints of missing persons. This included over 5000 cases of disappearances of government troops.

Sri Lanka has come under increased scrutiny from international organisations for its rights accountability during the last phase of the conflict in 2009.

The island-country has been subjected to three UN Human Rights Council resolutions since 2013.

The last resolution in March this year advocated the setting up of an international investigation on alleged war crimes committed by both sides during the conflict.

The government continues to resist any such probe. An estimated 80,000-100,000 people had died during the two-and-a-half decade-long conflict between the government forces and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants.