Sri Lanka’s state-owned Daily News in an editorial said the domestic inquiry will remove all “misgivings and suspicions” against the country’s military and warned that the entire nation will rise if there is a threat “to our war heroes”.

The editorial slammed the PHU’s MP Udaya Gammanpila, who called for an Act of Indemnity to give immunity to Sri Lanka’s soldiers, who are accused of committing mass atrocities.

The paper said Mr Gammanpila, who is an ally of Mahinda Rajapaksa, doesn’t need to worry about the safety of the armed forces as Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Maithripala Sirisena had already guaranteed not a single soldier would face a war crimes tribunal.

“Udaya Gammanpila need not have sleepless nights about the safety of our war heroes. President Maithripala Sirisena who was once Acting Defence Minister, during his election campaign gave the nation a guarantee on this score. Gammanpila has no monopoly on the well being and protection of the armed forces.,” the editorial, published on Thursday said.

“The entire nation rose in tumultuous jubilation on the day the LTTE was defeated expressing their gratitude to our war heroes. That gratitude has not diminished one ounce. The nation as a whole will rise in unison if there is any sign of threat to our war heroes. The Domestic Inquiry that will soon commence, will, we are certain, remove once and for all, all misgivings and suspicions entertained against the country's armed forces in the conduct of the war against terrorism.”