Sri Lanka’s president reiterated the rejection of foreign expert involvement in an accountability mechanism for mass atrocities committed during the armed conflict, in an interview with Frontline magazine.

When asked about the Sri Lankan government’s efforts in implementing a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on accountability, Mr Sirisena replied:

“I have held meetings with representatives and leaders of all parties, apart from ascertaining the views of experts… There is no reason for allowing the participation of foreign experts as we have sufficient judges and our judiciary is strong and independent enough to handle issues like these [concerning accountability]. Foreign experts can share their experience with us, but we will be handling [the mechanisms] on our own.”

Mr Sirisena went on to add:

“We have not been ordered [by the UNHRC] to do anything. We are proceeding step by step towards implementation.”

The Sri Lankan president’s total denial of ongoing torture on the island is an “outrageous reversal of promises made to torture survivors and the international community,” said UK-based charity Freedom From Torture.

In a statement released on Friday, Freedom From Torture’s Director of Policy and Advocacy Sonya Sceats said,

“This is an outrageous reversal of promises made to torture survivors and the international community in October 2015 to deliver an internationalised justice process as part of the new government’s determination to achieve accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka”.

Ms Sceats went on to say,

“Survivors of torture receiving rehabilitation treatment from Freedom from Torture have been clear from the start that for them to have any confidence in the justice process, there must be strong international participation at every stage and level.”

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s questioning of mass atrocities during the armed conflict is “an insult to the thousands of victims and witnesses” said the International Truth and Justice Project.

ITJP Executive Director Yasmin Sooka said “it’s rather late in the day to question whether crimes took place,” adding,

“This is an insult to the thousands of victims and witnesses who testified to the UN inquiry and other bodies.”

The ITJP statement also said the organisation “is deeply concerned that Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena appears to be rolling back on his commitment in Geneva to include international involvement in a future judicial mechanism” and “shocked that the Sri Lankan President should question that crimes took place after the detailed and graphic revelations of the year-long OHCHR Investigation, as well as reports by many other credible international and Sri Lankan organisations”.

A Buddhist monk and parliamentarian vowed that the island’s Buddhist clergy would not allow the international community to harm Sri Lanka, reports The Island.

Addressing a news conference organised by the National Sangha Council, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) MP Athuraliye Ratana called on Sri Lanka’s chief Buddhist monks to unite and beat back a proposed bill relating to the Buddhist clergy.

He called on the Mahanayake Theras of the three Nikayas on the island to unite against the bill, stating “we are at a loss to understand why the government embarked on bringing in a Bill of this nature”.

The MP went on to add that the Maha Sangha in Sri Lanka would not allow the international community or anyone else to harm the country.