Sri Lanka's Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) rejected the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) stating that it would not support any outside intervention.
“We shall support all genuine efforts made by the present Government to achieve reconciliation and national unity, provided no outside interference is permitted. The taking of action against those guilty of alleged war crimes is an internal matter that we are capable of handling. If the need for any foreign assistance should arise it could be sought by us at our discretion. It must not be thrust on us as is being attempted by the UNHRC. Therefore, we reject both the content of the report and the manner of its preparation by the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR),” the LSSP secretary said in a statement on Friday.
See here for full statement. Further extract reproduced below:
“We shall support all genuine efforts made by the present Government to achieve reconciliation and national unity, provided no outside interference is permitted. The taking of action against those guilty of alleged war crimes is an internal matter that we are capable of handling. If the need for any foreign assistance should arise it could be sought by us at our discretion. It must not be thrust on us as is being attempted by the UNHRC. Therefore, we reject both the content of the report and the manner of its preparation by the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR),” the LSSP secretary said in a statement on Friday.
See here for full statement. Further extract reproduced below:
"It is clear that the UNHRC is targeting the former President, Defence Secretary, Army Chief and selected Armed Forces personnel, but they have not been named, as legally valid evidence is lacking. The UNHRC would like to manufacture the evidence, to produce an adverse report, and to do this it is important that their agents become an integral part of the investigation on the basis of setting up a hybrid War Crimes tribunal. Even on the basis of such an adverse report, direct UN action is not likely to arise due to support for Sri Lanka in the Security Council from China and Russia. But it could be the basis for action in the ICC and by Individual countries."
"Though we are not signatories to the Rome Statute to establish the ICC and have no obligation to fulfill its terms, under Article 15 of the Statute, action is possible by a signatory state like Britain, or even a citizen of such a state, against a non-member state or citizens therein. If the evidence is presented to the ICC, the Prosecutor can present it to a preliminary hearing by a single Judge, who can then refer it to a proper hearing by a full bench. The targeted persons can then be found guilty and action taken against them. On the basis of such a report, if and when necessary, individual countries like Britain and America can even impose economic sanctions on Sri Lanka or its citizens, or hold out that threat, to get compliance from us to implement their agendas. We will lose our independence and our sovereignty."
"Sri Lanka is under no legal compulsion to comply with the UNHRC Hybrid War Crimes moves. The LSSP calls upon the Government not to give into these pressures under any circumstances and to act in a manner that preserves Sri Lanka’s independence, sovereignty and good name."