Hybrid courts, an insult - Namal

The UN report's call to establish a hybrid court over the alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka 'is a complete insult to the entire legal system in this country,' says UPFA Parliamentarian - Namal Rajapaksa.

In a series of Tweets, MP Rajapaksa has said :

"OHCHR's call for creation of hybrid court in #SriLanka is a complete insult to the entire legal system in this country." #HRC30 1/4

"#SriLanka is fully capable of conducting any domestic inquiry that is needed." #HRC30 2/4

"#lka courts have already demonstrated they have resources/capability to conduct credible investigations w/in existing legal framework." 3/4

"The double standards practiced by sections of the international community is injustice in itself." #SriLanka #HRC30 4/4

Ajith agrees
Agreeing, deputy minister and former deputy foreign minister - Ajith P. Perera says that he too, is strongly against the proposed Hybrid courts.

 Domestic courts?

“The commitment by the new Government to pursue accountability through a domestic process is commendable… but the unfortunate reality is that Sri Lanka’s criminal justice system is not yet ready,” the OHCHR report states.

“First and foremost is the absence of any reliable system for victim and witness protection. Second is the inadequacy of Sri Lanka’s domestic legal framework to deal with international crimes of this magnitude. The third challenge is the degree to which Sri Lanka’s security sector and justice system have been distorted and corrupted by decades of emergency, conflict and impunity,” it adds.

The High Commissioner welcomed the positive steps taken by the new Government of President Mathiripala Sirisena since January this year, but said that “Sri Lanka must now move forward to dismantle the repressive structures and institutional cultures that remain deeply entrenched after decades of erosion of human rights.”

“This will not happen overnight, and no one should underestimate the enormity of the task,” he said. “We have seen many moments in Sri Lanka’s history when governments pledged to turn the page and end practices like enforced disappearances, but the failure to address impunity and root out the systemic problems that allowed such abuses to occur meant that the ‘white vans’ could be, and were, reactivated when needed. It is imperative that the Government seizes the unique opportunity it has to break the mold of impunity once and for all. This means there must be a root-and-branch transformation of the ways in which institutions and officials operate.”