The international community has a critical role to play in supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts toward reconciliation and accountability through the participation of international judges and prosecutors said a group Senators in a letter to the US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Extracts from the letter reproduced below:

“We firmly believe that the international community has a critical role to play in supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts toward reconciliation and accountability, and the findings of the OHCHR report will help determine the path forward We support a robust international role through the participation of international judges and prosecutors that will lend credibility to Sri Lanka’s accountability process. The international community must also work with the Sir Lanka government to implement vigorous witness protection systems to ensure the successes of any accountability process.”

The Centre for Justice and Accountability (CJA) called for Sri Lanka's war-affected communities to be involved in meaningful consultations “ at every level” to shape an accountability mechanism to prosecute for war crimes in Sr Lanka, and warned against attempts to “water down” a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council.

The CJA stated it was “deeply troubled by recent statements made by Sri Lanka officials regarding the proposed accountability mechanism” including from Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Mr Wickeremesinghe stated on Wednesday that “there was nothing to be gained from abroad,” rejecting international involvement.

The resolution, which was tabled on Thursday, called for a "credible justice process" with "independent judicial and prosecutorial institutions led by individuals known for integrity and  impartiality" and "Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers, and authorized prosecutors and investigators".

The CJA also stated “of course, for Sri Lanka to become a success story, any truth or accountability mechanism must be shaped at every level by meaningful consultations with war affected communities".

The Sri Lankan military announced the opening of two new buildings at a camp in the North-East that will house accommodation  for soldiers, earlier this week.

The new buildings were funded by the commander of the army and the commander of the security forces headquarters in Vanni, and opened on September 22.

The military also held an all night 'Pirith Pinkama' Buddhist ceremony to mark the occasion.

The Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council welcomed the findings of the report of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Investigation on Sri Lanka released last week.

Extracts from the statement made by CV Wigneswaran at the Northern Provincial Council on Tuesday reproduced below.

“We also  welcome the finding  that  the  investigations  into  international  crimes of the scale  that  had  taken  place  during the  period investigated "will require  more than  a domestic  mechanism"  and, the  need  to  form  a mechanism  which would  give confidence  to  the  victims  of such  violations,  confidence  in  the independence  and impartiality  of  the  process.  To that end the report has suggested  the  adoption  of international best  practices of "integrating international  judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators.”

Political parties across Tamil Nadu staged protests and held rallies on Monday, demanding that an international probe and process of accountability take place in order to punish the perpetrators of mass atrocities committed during the final stages of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. 

Hundreds of activists from the Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi (TVK) were arrested by Indian police as they attempted to picket railway stations in the southern Indian state.  Some 350 people were arrested at Salem Railway Junction with another 330 people detained at Omalur and a further 332 people at Magudanchavadi, states The Hindu. Another 150 were also arrested at Erode.

In Namakkal, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhatgam (MDMK) activists held a protest demanding an international probe into the killing of Tamil civilians by Sri Lankan security forces.

Meanwhile, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Tirumavalavan addressed a rally in Madurai on the same day stating “it was important that the accused in the killing of Tamils should be booked and punished by the International Court”.

The Sri Lankan military ceremoniously declared open the newly constructed headquarters for troops of the 5 (V) Gajaba Regiment in Kilinochchi earlier this month.

An official military website stated that on 18 September,  Maj General A P De Z Wickramarathne, commander of the 66 division, alongside commanders of 661, 662 and 663 Brigades, attended the ceremony.

The Sri Lankan military held an 'awareness program' last week for Tamil pregnant mothers in Kilinochchi.

The OISL report on mass atrocities in Sri Lanka makes clear that Sri Lanka “cannot tackle decades of entrenched impunity on its own” said former BBC correspondent Frances Harrison.

The report, which is “filled with legal language and clinical descriptions of extreme brutality... is also a graveyard of dead politicians, journalists, priests and combatants whom many of us knew personally,” said Ms Harrison. “For some victims, this is the only memorial they have had in six long years.”

Sri Lanka’s envoy in Geneva has returned to its old tricks said the Human Rights Watch Geneva Director John Fisher, in a comment on negotiations around a draft United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on the findings of the UN investigation into Sri Lanka’s atrocities.

"Against a decades long backdrop of politically motivated interference and inaction on justice issues, there is simply no basis – whatever the sincerity of top officials – to be condiment of Sri Lanka’s ability to deliver justice without a significant international role," he added.

Protestors in Jaffna took part in a hunger strike on Tuesday outside the Valikamam North High Security Zone, demanding to be resettled in their native land.

The protestors stated that they had been displaced for almost three decades by the Sri Lankan military, which had taken over their village. They said that if they were not displaced, the protestors would continue their hunger strike.

Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe denied discussing the CEPA trade agreement during his visit to India.

Briefing Sri Lanka’s parliament on his visit to India, Mr Wickremesinghe said,

“No discussions were held on CEPA. The Indians didn’t even bring up the topic. Certain media institutions are trying to create public opinion which is harmful to both countries. The Ada newspaper has reported on constructing a bridge joining the two countries, but we haven’t discussed anything in New Delhi.”

“We will take action to improve economic cooperation between the two countries and to enter into an agreement. We expect this economic cooperation program to help create one million employment opportunities in Sri Lanka," he added.