Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Sri Lankan counterpart on the involvement of international judges and prosecutors in investigations into war crimes and other human rights abuses (a) during and (b) after the civil war in that country.

During my visit in early October 2017 ​​to Colombo and Jaffna, I raised with Foreign Minister Marapana the importance of the Sri Lankan government implementing in full its commitments under UN Human Rights Council Resolution 34/1, which rolled over the commitments made under 30/1. Resolution 30/1 recognised the importance of a credible accountability process for those most responsible for violations and abuses. It also called for the participation in Sri Lanka's judicial accountability process of Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers, and authorised prosecutors and investigators.

The UK is committed to the full implementation of Resolution 34/1 and will continue to support the Government of Sri Lanka in its efforts to promote reconciliation and human rights.