A senior US senator has called on his government to push for the "most robust international role" in the accountability process, mandated by a UN resolution last week at the Human Rights Council.

Senator Ben Cardin, who is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Sri Lanka must resolve "long standing issues of accountability", before opportunities for greater economic and security cooperation can be realised.

"This resolution is not perfect, but if fully implemented, it provides the most promising path forward since the end of the war. The resolution leaves open the possibility for international judges and prosecutors in Sri Lanka’s judicial mechanism to promote accountability. The current government has made clear that the international role will be limited to providing technical assistance and advice. As the U.S. works with Sri Lanka to implement the resolution, I urge our diplomats to push for the most robust international role in the accountability process," the senator said.

Welcoming Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera's "own recognition of the depth of the institutional challenges and of past failures", Mr Cardin said this was "more than enough" to insist on foreign involvement, especially on investigations and the protection of witnesses.

Outlining pledges made by Mr Samaraweera, the senator said Sri Lanka's supporters in the international community expected " action, not more promises, on each of these fronts".

Establish special security force for protection of witnesses

Mr Cardin outlined measures the US should take to support the accountability process in Sri Lanka, calling on his government to ensure a robust international role, including international judges and prosecutors, ensuring witness protection, with the possible establishment of a special security force, expanding programmes to strengthen civil society on the island and ensuring accountability processes address violations committed by all sides.

"[The] U.S. should work to ensure that the commitments in the current UNHRC resolution are fully implemented. Following the passage of the resolution, the U.S. should push for the most robust international role in the accountability process, to include international judges and prosecutors,

“[The] United States can support efforts to ensure witness protection inside of Sri Lanka. This could include the establishment of special security force for witness protection, developed in close coordination with leaders in the Tamil community,"

US credibility on the line

The senator stressed that leaders in Sri Lanka have an opportunity to act and move beyond the past, and pledged his support for the efforts of the government and the TNA.

Today, Sri Lanka’s leaders have an important opportunity to move beyond this divisive past. They say they want it and they have a plan on paper. Now is the time to act. And I am prepared to support the efforts of President Sirisena, Prime Minister Wickramasinghe, Opposition Leader Sampanthan, and all Sri Lankans towards that end.

“The High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the credibility of the UN Human Rights Council is on the line in Sri Lanka. I agree and would say that the same goes for the United States. Our country has an important responsibility to finish the work of diplomats in recent years and promote the strongest accountability mechanism in Sri Lanka. Our credibility on human rights issues around the world is at stake and will be watched closely by human rights defenders and violators alike.”

See full statement here.