OBJECTIVE TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH
Domestic probe
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said the main objective of the proposed domestic probe on alleged war crimes was to find the truth rather than trying anyone in any kind of judiciary.
Speaking during the opening of the refurbished Philip Gunawardane Park (Hyde Park ), Mr. Wickremesinghe said one needed to know the truth in order to bring about reconciliation. “We need to know as to who killed whom during the war in order to bring reconciliation and peace among communities and the main objective of the probe mechanism is finding out this truth and not trying anyone in any kind of courts,” he said.
He therefore said the proposed Truth Commission would refer any matter to the judicial institution that would be established as per the UNHRC resolution only if it came out with any serious issue. “One should not entertain any suspicion on any mechanism that would come out with regard to any domestic probe,” he said.
Clarifying the situation further, he said if anyone was to be tried in any of the judicial mechanism it had to be the LTTE as it was that outfit who started the war and it was no more now. In such a situation he indicated that the role which any judicial system would have to play may be less than what is anticipated as the LTTE did not exist and there was no use trying only one party in any kind of courts.
He also said if any foreign person played a role in any of the processes with regard to any probe he or she would be controlled by the Sri Lankan Parliament.