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No Foreign Judges: Rajapaksa Tells His Foreign Expert

Former President and Kurunegala district MP Mahinda Rajapaksa told Motoo Noguchi of the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office of Japan that the appointment of foreign experts as judges exercising judicial power in respect of the Sri Lankan armed forces and other Sri Lankan citizens was at no time contemplated by his government because it was politically unacceptable to Sri Lankan people and also because it involved conflict with basic provisions of the constitution of Sri Lanka.

MahindaMotoo Noguchi of the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office of Japan called on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at his residence this morning.

Noguchi expressed appreciation of the invitation which had been extended to him by the government of President Rajapaksa to serve in an advisory capacity to assist the Commission on Missing Persons headed by Maxwell Paranagama.

Rajapaksa specifically clarified that the intention of his government, in response to a written request by Chairman Paranagama was to secure for the benefit of the Sri Lankan commission the expertise of several international experts including Noguchi. He emphasised that the role of these experts was to serve as resource persons in dealing with complex issues of international humanitarian law and international human rights law which arose in the course of the work of the commission.

The Full statement issued by Rajapaksa’s media office on the meeting is published below;

Meeting between Mr Motoo Noguchi of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Japan and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Mr.Motoo Noguchi of the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office of Japan called on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at his residence this morning. The Former Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L Peiris was also present at the meeting. President Rajapaksa cordially welcomed Mr. Noguchi and referred to the warm and mutually supportive relationship between Sri Lanka and Japan and in particular the strong support which the government of Japan had extended to his government, especially with regard to the economy and trade relations.

President Rajapaksa and Mr. Noguchi discussed a range of issues connected with current initiatives regarding reconciliation and the way forward. Mr. Noguchi described his experience in the war crimes tribunal of Cambodia and the manner in which it was functioning.

President Rajapaksa, while appreciating his insights, pointed out the fundamental difference between the Sri Lankan and Cambodian contexts, and referred to the salient features of the Sri Lankan situation, the basic element of which was the eradication of terrorism and the availability of the opportunity today for all citizens of Sri Lanka irrespective ethnic identity, to live in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. He described in some detail the challenges which confronted his government and the strategies which he put in place to overcome them.

Mr. Noguchi expressed appreciation of the invitation which had been extended to him by the government of President Rajapaksa to serve in an advisory capacity to assist the Commission on Missing Persons headed by Mr. Maxwell Paranagama. President Rajapaksa specifically clarified that the intention of his government, in response to a written request by Chairman Paranagama was to secure for the benefit of the Sri Lankan commission the expertise of several international experts including Mr. Noguchi. He emphasised that the role of these experts was to serve as resource persons in dealing with complex issues of international humanitarian law and international human rights law which arose in the course of the work of the commission. He said that the appointment of foreign experts as judges exercising judicial power in respect of the Sri Lankan armed forces and other Sri Lankan citizens was at no time contemplated by his government because it was politically unacceptable to our people and also because it involved conflict with basic provisions of the constitution of Sri Lanka. Mr. Noguchi agreed that the best course of action was to have judicial mechanisms manned by Sri Lanka’s own nationals.

President Rajapaksa and Mr. Noguchi in the course of their cordial conversation discussed other issues of mutual interest.

Rohan Welivita
Media Secretary to
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa

TELO Media Team 1