US backs Lankan probe of wartime atrocities

AFP, COLOMBO: The United States said yesterday it backed the new Sri Lankan government’s plans for a local inquiry into alleged wartime atrocities, reversing its demand for an international probe.
Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal said the US wants to sponsor a resolution at next month’s UN human rights session backing Colombo’s plans, signalling a major shift by Washington on the South Asian nation. “We support efforts to create a credible domestic process for accountability and reconciliation,” Biswal told reporters in Colombo after talks with the new government. “The failure of past efforts is very much on our minds, but that is why you have to emphasise on building trust.”
The US has led efforts at the UN Human Rights Council for three resolutions against Sri Lanka, with the last one calling for an international probe into the alleged abuses. But Biswal said there was new optimism for reconciliation over Sri Lanka’s wartime past, after President Maithripala Sirisena ousted longtime strongman Mahinda Rajapakse at elections in January.a

US backs Lankan probe of wartime atrocities

AFP, COLOMBO: The United States said yesterday it backed the new Sri Lankan governments plans for a local inquiry into alleged wartime atrocities, reversing its demand for an international probe. Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal said the US wants to sponsor a resolution at next months UN human rights session backing Colombos plans, signalling a major shift by Washington on the South Asian nation. We support efforts to create a credible domestic process for accountability and reconciliation, Biswal told reporters in Colombo after talks with the new government. The failure of past efforts is very much on our minds, but that is why you have to emphasise on building trust. The US has led efforts at the UN Human Rights Council for three resolutions against Sri Lanka, with the last one calling for an international probe into the alleged abuses. But Biswal said there was new optimism for reconciliation over Sri Lankas wartime past, after President Maithripala Sirisena ousted longtime strongman Mahinda Rajapakse at elections in January.a