Sri Lanka refuses international human rights investigation

By KRISHAN FRANCIS
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka says it will not accept any international investigation imposed by the U.N. Human Rights Council into alleged rights abuses during the country’s long civil war. Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Sabry says the government is willing to engage with the international community in seeking closure for human rights issues, but that any solution should conform with the country’s Constitution. The stance is a retraction of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s earlier position when he was prime minister. In 2015 he co-sponsored a resolution agreeing to a joint investigation of alleged abuses with participation by Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defense lawyers, authorized prosecutors and investigators.