No change in Sri Lanka's stance on UN panel

A senior government minister said Sri Lankan government has not changed its stance on the Panel of Experts appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General and stressed that it will not be changed.

The Government Spokesman and the Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella addressing the media said the government has communicated its strong protest about the appointment of this Panel and it is waiting for the response from the UN Secretary-General.

Rambukwella said that many friendly nations of Sri Lanka have expressed their objection to the illegal Panel.

"The UN Secretary-General rather than acting on his own wish should have come through the UN General Council or the Security Council with the approval of the members States when handling the issues like this," the Minister said.

Sri Lanka has vehemently protested the appointment of the three-member Panel which according to the UN Chief Ban Ki-moon is advisory in its function and not investigatory.

However, the chairman of the panel, Marzuki Darusman, a former Attorney General of Indonesia has expressed desire to visit Sri Lanka in search of truth.

According to Ban the Panel will look into the modalities, applicable international standards and comparative experience with regard to accountability processes, taking into account the nature and scope of any alleged violations in Sri Lanka during the last stages of war with the Tamil Tigers.

Sri Lanka, calling the Panel unwarranted and unnecessary, says the panel is a precursor to bring war crime charges against the government and its armed forces.

Sri Lanka strongly opposed the idea of appointing the expert panel to advise the UN Chief saying that the allegations are an internal matter and the government has already set in motion a mechanism to address the accountability issues.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed an eight-member 'Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission' to report on the lessons to be learnt from the events in the period between 21st February 2002 to 19th May 2009.