Sri Lankan ministers have repeated their rejection of an international inquiry into mass atrocities against the Tamil people, just days after the United Nations Human Rights Council decided to give the new Sri Lankan government six months to cooperate with the ongoing UN investigation.

“We will not compromise our sovereignty by accepting an international probe,” Sri Lanka's new Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe told Al Jazeera.

Describing an international inquiry as "an unsolicited intervention," Mr Rajapakshe said, “We ... will decide on our next steps, which will be measures that will not undermine sovereignty, but will be legally and ethically correct.”

Deputy Minister of Justice Sujeewa Senasinghe meanwhile pledged that Sri Lanka's new government would protect former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was in office when many of the reported atrocities took place.

"There is no question of the international community being allowed to draw President Rajapaksa's blood,” said Mr Senasinghe.

The former head of the Sri Lanka's army Sarath Fonseka also rejected an international probe, stating that a domestic process would suffice.

"There was no role for the international community there," said Mr Fonseka, who was recently restored of all his military awards and privileges, as well as being pardoned from all charges laid against him by the previous government by Sri Lanka's new president Maithripala Sirisena.

His presence in the new government has been highlighted by Human Rights Watch who stated it would politicise any domestic probe into mass atrocities and by British politicians who note that he is accused of war crimes. In an interview with the Times of India shortly after the new government took to office, he claimed credit for ending the armed conflict in 2009, which saw the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians, stating he had “planned the entire operation”.

In addition, Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Wiijtha Herath told Al Jazeera that Sri Lanka's sovereignty would not be undermined, criticising countries who had tried to bring about an international investigation.

"If there is a probe, it should be a domestic process. It cannot be at the behest of a few influential countries out to berate the island," Herath said.

See the full Al Jazeera feature here.

Also see our earlier posts:

I do not fear retribution by new Sri Lankan govt says Gotabaya (09 Feb 2015)

International probe ‘violation of sovereignty’ – Sri Lanka (06 Feb 2015)

Gota safe from war crimes probe in Sri Lanka says dep justice minister (24 Jan 2015)

'I planned the entire operation' states Fonseka (12 Jan 2015)

Sirisena assures Rajapaksa of state protection (11 Jan 2015)

We will punish war crimes locally, no one will be handed over to international inquiry says Sirisena spokesperson (11 Jan 2015)

Maithripala manifesto released: vows to prevent international justice mechanisms and protect SL sovereignty (19 Dec 2014)

Who is Maithripala Sirisena? (23 Nov 2014)

Meanwhile Tamil demands for a full international inquiry to investigate allegations of mass atrocities have been steadfast. See more in our posts:

Human Rights Council gives Sri Lanka 6 months to cooperate with UN inquiry (16 Feb 2015)

Domestic investigation unacceptable regardless of when OISL report is released says TNA (15 Feb 2015)

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

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

Tamils have no trust in local inquiry by Sri Lankan govt says TNA spokesperson (29 January 2015)

Tamils in Mannar urge international community to investigate war crimes in Sri Lanka (26 Jan 2015)
 
Sri Lanka's new government and the possibility of justice (23 Jan 2015)