The day after his office released an expert panel’s report on Sri Lanka’s war crimes, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said he would welcome a mandate to establish a commission of inquiry (CoI) into war crimes in Sri Lanka. Noting that a UN-led probe would require the agreement of Colombo – something that is patently impossible – or an intergovernmental body.
Speaking to reporters at the UN’s offices in New York, Mr. Ban said:
“And about the future course of action [on Sri Lanka], it is true and it is a fact that if I want to establish any independent international commission of inquiry, I will need to have a clear mandate from an intergovernmental body or the consent of the Sri Lankan Government.”
“I would welcome to have that kind of mandate from either the Sri Lankan Government or an intergovernmental body so that I would be able to establish such a commission of inquiry,” he added.
Mr. Ban was then asked by a reporter: “I would like to know whether you are prepared to recommend to, for instance, the Human Rights Council, the General Assembly or the Security Council, that they actively take up this issue and consider making such a recommendation?”
In response, he said:
“Since my Panel of Experts report has been released publicly, I believe that each and all Member States have it in their possession and I sincerely hope that they will read carefully all the recommendations contained in this report. And if there is any mandate by any members of the Human Rights Council or the General Assembly or the Security Council, then I would be prepared to take the necessary actions.”
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