The Government today said it would investigate ‘specific situations’ set out in the report of the LLRC relating to death of civilians during the last phase of the war.”It is a matter of the greatest importance to the Government to have the truth relating to each of these matters established in a manner that puts controversy to rest for all time,” Leader of the House Minister Nimal Sirirpala de Silva who presented the Report to Parliament said.
He said that the government has asserted on many occasions that, if reliable evidence is available in respect of any contravention of the law, the law of the land will be set in motion.
“The Report now sets out some specific situations whereby examination of the circumstances from this perspective is appropriate. The Government is firmly of the opinion that these situations require through investigation in the first instance and punitive action in terms of the law if wrongdoing is established,” he said.
The Minister said that the proper course of action now is to set up a mechanism for gathering and assessing factual evidence relating to the episodes indicated, buttressed by a strong investigative arm.
“The findings arrived at in this process will form the basis of a decision whether criminal proceedings can be instituted. The material yielded by this investigation will be placed before the Attorney General for a decision in respect of institution of criminal proceedings where warranted,” he added.
The Minister also made a reference to the video footage that has generated controversy which the LLRC has referred o as having ‘troubling technical and forensic questions of a serious nature that cast significant doubts about the authenticity of this video and the credibility of its contents.”
However the Commission has recommended for, the clearance of all doubts, that an independent investigation of this matter be embarked upon, he added.
He also referred to the detailed observations and recommendations on international humanitarian law issues relating to the final phase of the war in the report and said that military operations were conducted professionally and if there is evidence of transgression by individuals, this, should be examined.
The Minister said that the Government on its own accord has already carried out a series of measures including a comprehensive census in the Northern Province which will enable firm and variable conclusions to be arrived at on issues involving accountability without any element of conjecture or speculation.
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