Updated: 1500 GMT
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stated the Sri Lankan constitution would not permit foreign judges to sit in domestic inquiries that would deal with mass atrocities committed during the final stages of the armed conflict.
The prime minister added that though judges could “participate” in the process, they would not be allowed to sit in on any inquiries.
Speaking at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Associations Asia Regional Seminar under the theme, ‘Role of Parliament in the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights’ in Colombo on Monday, Mr Wickremesignhe said,
"If we are to permit foreign judges to sit in judgment then our Constitution has to be amended with the consent of the people at a referendum."
"We have no provision here to have foreign judges just as much as in your countries there are no provisions for foreign judges," he told the audience.
Mr Wickremesinghe said that this "does not preclude commonwealth judges from participating in the process" but they would be unable to sit on the proceedings. He added,
"Then there will be the big question of who shall be prosecutors. That, neither the President nor I nor Parliament can decide. We like yours have the same system, the Bar jealously guards their rights and the Supreme Court decides who should be admitted. If you have passed your exams... all and good. If you are not a lawyer of your own country, the only way is to go before the Supreme Court. If you are going to change that system the Supreme Court will say it requires a referendum."
Stating that the UN Human Rights Council resolution passed last year had to be assessed in the context of the Sri Lankan Constitution, Mr Wickremesinghe went on to state moves on accountability issues would be done in consultation with the South African government.
Last week the prime minster told parliament that his government "will never accept an international war crimes tribunal”.
