No need for int'l probe in SL-Sanath Jayasuriya
30 November 2013 03:21 pm
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Former Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya Saturday dismissed recent calls for an international probe into allegations of war crimes by government troops just before the end of the three decade-long civil war in the country.
"There is no need for any international probe because we have our own judicial system and the process of law is going on," Jayasuriya said during an interaction with the media in Kerala.
Jayasuriya arrived in the Kerala capital Saturday morning and will be the chief guest at a cricket tournament organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club.
"Our President Mahinda Rajapaksa has done a wonderful job and is doing everything possible to see that there is overall development in the country... because things were not proper as there was the war that went on for three decades, so it's not easy," he said.
"Anyone can ask for a probe and you all know what happened at the recent CHOGM meeting held in Sri Lanka," the former cricketer said, referring to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held recently in Colombo.
On relations with India, he said India has been a long standing friend.
"Yes, there are some issues, but we continue to have a good friendship.
"China is participating in our infrastructure development, especially in road building," Jayasuriya added.
At the CHOGM, Sri Lanka insisted that the Commonwealth cannot sit in judgement on its members and rejected British Prime Minister David Cameron's warning of an international probe into its human rights record.
Cameron had warned that if an investigation is not completed by March 2014, Britain will use its position on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to call for a full, credible and international inquiry. (IANS)