The British Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Hugo Swire, during proceedings at the House of Commons on Tuesday, outlined that any investigation that Sri Lanka were to commence, must be accepted by the international community in order to be deemed credible.

Responding to questions on UK involvement in ensuring an appropriate resolution was passed at the UNHRC in March 2014, Swire highlighted that the UK was regularly engaging with other countries on Sri Lanka, including discussions on the content.

Swire added,

"The Prime Minister has said that the UK would use its place on the UN Human Rights Council to call for an international investigation if there has been no progress. An assessment will be made at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2014."

"We regularly discuss Sri Lanka, including accountability, with a range of other EU, Commonwealth and international partners. In those discussions we are exploring options, including the content of a UNHRC Resolution, ahead of the March session. It is too soon to define what any international investigation might consist of."

"We have made clear that any investigation must be internationally accepted to be considered credible."

Speaking at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York yesterday, UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson stated there was a “systematic failure” in Sri Lanka, as a new action plan to prevent genocide and human rights abuses was launched.

Eliasson was speaking at the launch of “Rights Up Front”, a follow up report to the Internal Review Panel on UN Action in Sri Lanka, which concluded there was a “grave failure” on the part of the United Nations, and acknowledged that up to 70,000 Tamil civilians could have been killed.

“The only deterrent for poaching we came across so far is arresting and we are doing it, of course Mr. Karunanidhi came up with the statement that Sri Lanka Navy trying to make the Bay of Bengal into an open air prison!"

Senior UNP member, MP Ravi Karunanayaka, called on Sajith Premadasa to take a lead at the Southern Provincial Council election next year, whilst announcing his intention to contest as UNP, for the Western Provincial Council.

The head of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has said that neither he nor any of the bishops on the island will indulge in politics or affiliate themselves with a political party or group, reported The Island.

Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force (STF) has the provision to expand to up to 10,000 troops stated the STF Commandant earlier this week, as training continued to take place with more troops being recruited.

Speaking to theIsland, STF Commandant DIG R. W. M. C. Ranawaka stated that 300 were undergoing training at the moment, with provision for recruitment for a further 600 troops next year.