Keep away from SL's internal affairs- ex AG

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

There is no room for any country to walk around Sri Lanka as they like and investigate its internal affairs, said former Attorney General Mohan Peiris.

He said this when asked about the possibility of a UN fact finding team being sent to Sri Lanka prior to a pre-arranged visit to be made by United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navaneetham Pillay.

"The government of Sri Lanka has extended an invitation to United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navaneethan Pillay to visit Sri Lanka to observe its post-war development and reconciliation efforts. The government has not extended any invitation to any fact finding mission," said Mohan Peiris.

"The government had extended this invitation to Pillay last year. It has no bearing whatsoever with the US resolution," he explained.

UN Human Rights Commissioner had reportedly requested the government to send her officers for a fact finding mission.

Mohan Peiris said, if Mrs Pillay sends these officers for her logistical support and for her security concerns, it could be taken into consideration."

"If they wish to offer technical assistance they can do so in consultation and with the concurrence of the government," he said.

Asked if it was possible for a UNHRC team to pay a visit to Sri Lanka in view of the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka, which will take place in November this year, Peiris said that under the Institution-building of the United Nations Human Rights Council such action is impossible.

" Nobody can send teams to investigate affairs of another country for it interferes with that country's sovereignty," he pointed out.

India , Berlin and Spain have been appointed as the three countries in the troika for the review of Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights' Universal Periodic Preview process. All three countries in the troika have voted against Sri Lanka at the 19th sessions of UNHRC in support of the US backed resolution requiring the government to implement the recommendation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconcilation Commission report. Senior Minister D E W Gunasekera said no one in the government would object UN Human Rights Commissioner Navaneetham Pillay's visit.

"But if she is going to be the judge of Sri Lanka's human rights situation, one must not forget that she is also a complainant against Sri Lanka's human rights situation," he said.

"How can a complainant be allowed to be the judge of the same complaint?" he asked. We asked the UN office whether or not UN Human Rights Commissioner Pillay would visit Sri Lanka as she had announced a few months ago. A UN officer said she was not in a position to say anything about it.