UNHRC probe against Sri Lanka:

All MPs should stand by Parliament’s decision - Neomal Perera

by P. Krishnaswamy

All political parties in Parliament should abide by the resolution it had adopted against the international investigation mandated by the UNHRC in Geneva as it would be not only unpatriotic but also unlawful if any of them were to appear before the UN panel to make statements against the Government on the alleged war crimes charges, Deputy Minister of External Affairs Neomal Perera told the Sunday Observer.

He said this referring to a meeting the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians had with visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Atul Kesahap in Colombo to brief him on their stance on the war against terrorism and other political issues.

Parliament had adopted a resolution not to cooperate with any such international inquiry on the grounds that such a course of action is detrimental to reconciliation and peace and that it erodes Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Deputy Minister said.

Political parties were given the opportunity to express their views to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission’s specific recommendations are being implemented, he said.