UN Wants Credible Process

By Easwaran Rutnam

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has stressed on the importance of Sri Lanka establishing credible accountability mechanisms on the war, which meet international standards.

Eri Kaneko at the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General said that advancing accountability, like other parts of the post-war agenda in Sri Lanka, will lay the basis for the country to make further progress on peace, democracy and development.

Kaneko said the UN stands ready to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to address the post-war agenda, as the UN has consistently affirmed.

“The Secretary-General is aware of reports that the new administration is considering setting a domestic accountability mechanism and will be carefully assessing developments. The Secretary-General has stressed the importance of Sri Lanka establishing credible accountability mechanisms that meet international standards,” Kaneko said.

Kaneko also said that the Secretary-General supports the efforts of Office of the High Commissioner for Human Right (OHCHR) to help Sri Lanka make progress on accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka and that the UN will continue to work with the new administration in a constructive and comprehensive manner to assist Sri Lanka in addressing the post-war issues. The investigation process is an inter-governmental process mandated by the UN Human Rights Council. OHCHR is mandated to report to the Council by the session in March 2015.