Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena said the resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council, calling on the UN to investigate genocide committed by the government, was beyond the limitations of the body, NPC opposition leader Sinnathurai Thavarasa was quoted by Ceylon Today.

The president is reported to have said at a meeting with notorious paramilitary leader Douglas Devananda, that he was “dismayed” at the resolution.

"The president, accompanied by his adviser and Eastern Province Governor Austin Fernando during his meeting with the EPDP leader and his delegation, said the alleged war crimes could not be called as genocide and the NPC has rushed for the resolution, when the new government has just embarked on its reconciliation process," Mr Thavarasa said to Ceylon Today.

The EPDP, a paramilitary group aligned to the previous government, is itself accused of committing severe human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, rape and human trafficking. The party was a key ally of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and campaigned against President Sirisena at the presidential elections.

Mr Thavarasa took over as NPC opposition leader after the previous holder of the position, also from the EPDP, was arrested for murder.

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