Sri Lanka's foreign minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris [4] announced on April 7 that Sri Lanka would not cooperate with a UN investigation into alleged war crimes committed during the country's civil war. The UN Human Rights Council [5] last month voted [6] to launch an investigation into alleged violations committed by government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam [7] (LTTE) in 2009 towards the end of the civil war. However, speaking at a Foreign Correspondents Association forum, Peiris signaled Sri Lanka's intent not to cooperate due to concerns over legality, fairness, and conflict of interest [8]. Peiris also expressed criticism [9] of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Navi Pillay [10], who has previously been accused of being partial given her Tamil background.
From Jurist [11], April 7. Use with permission.
