The US announced on Wednesday it would support the Sri Lankan government in creating a credible domestic process to address accountability and reconciliation.

Speaking to reporters, US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal said "We support efforts to create a credible domestic process for accountability and reconciliation."

"The failure of past efforts is very much on our minds, but that is why you have to emphasise on building trust."

“We have recognised that there is a different opportunity that exists today and a different landscape for trying to advance reconciliation,” Ms Biswal further said. “We look forward to a process in Geneva that allows an opportunity to reflect on that.”

The assistant secretary said the US would propose a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council next month and hoped that Sri Lanka would collaborate. She said the thrust of the resolution would be decided after reviewing the final report of the OHCHR Inquiry in Sri Lanka, which is expected to find that tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed in the last phase of the armed conflict alone.

"The United States has announced on Monday in Geneva that it will be offering a resolution in the September session of the Human Rights Council. We have also expressed our hope that it will be a resolution which we hope to offer collaboratively, working with the government of Sri Lanka and with other key stake holders," she said.

Tom Malinowski, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, who is also currently in Sri Lanka, said that the new government's approach in dealing with the issues had resulted in the US change in stance.

"A hallmark of this government's approach to these difficult issues has been that it has defended the interests of Sri Lanka without being defensive, without denying painful facts and trying to discredit critics," he said.

Tamils have demanded an international justice mechanism to investigate and prosecute the mass atrocities that are thought to have occurred and during their recent election campaign, the Tamil National Alliance, which swept the polls in the North-East, also said it stood for an international mechanism. Earlier this year protests across the North-East saw thousands of Tamils come out and reject a domestic mechanism.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid bin Ra’ad and US officials had previously called on Sri Lanka’s government to consult with the victims in setting up any domestic mechanism, to ensure credibility.

UN must secure justice for Tamils says family of journalist killed in SL army custody
(23 August 2015)

A failure of justice - Editorial (06 August 2015)

International investigation is essential agree Tamil political parties across North-East
(02 August 2015)

International investigators will not be allowed into Sri Lanka says Sirisena (20 May 2015)

Domestic mechanism will ‘salvage the good name of armed forces’ - Sri Lankan FM  (07 May 2015)

Primacy of Accountability - Editorial (10 March 2014)

NPC passes resolution asking UN to investigate genocide of Tamils by Sri Lanka state (10 February 2015)

TNA tells Biswal that only international mechanism will deliver justice (03 February 2015)