Sri Lanka’s Minister of External Affairs GL Peiris expressed his “deepest displeasure” at recent comments by a spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who said that submissions of evidence to the OHCHR Investigation in Sri Lanka, which are received after the deadline, will not necessarily be refused.

During a meeting with the heads of missions and representatives of the main countries involved in the OISL, including the High Commissioner of Australia and the deputy country director of the UNDP, Peiris “expressed strong displeasure at the selective and biased approach followed where the investigation determines the nature of the information they wish to receive”, an MEA statement said.

“[…] Peiris stressed that this flawed procedure infringes on the basic norms of justice and fairplay. He said that though Sri Lanka has rejected the UNHRC Resolution establishing an international investigation, it was only reasonable for the international community to expect, as the minimum requirement, that the investigation would follow certain fundamental principles relating to objectivity and fairness,” the statement said.

The minister also pointed out that the comment by the OHCHR official came soon after NPC Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan called for an extension of the deadline for submissions, which ran out last Thursday.

Peiris explained the circumstances behind the arrest of “non-rehabilitated LTTE-cadre” Sinnathambi Krishnarajah, who was detained last week for collecting submissions for the OISL.

The minister said that although the TNA distanced themselves from Pulle Vijendrakumar, the person who is alleged to be behind the collection of evidence, his prominent role in the party was “apparent”.