The appointment of a panel of experts to advise the UN in investigations of alleged human rights violations during the military operations to crush the Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka is to be announced next week, a top visiting UN official said Thursday.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B Lynn Pascoe wound up a two-day visit to Sri Lanka saying the panel would only be in an advisory role, and not be involved in investigations, DPA reported.
The panel is being set up by the UN as part of an accountability process following the end of the 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka which ended in May 2009 after the Tamil rebels were militarily crushed.
The Sri Lankan government had opposed the UN panel and had instead appointed a commission on reconciliation to look into events which took place in the last eight years of the conflict.
Pascoe said that during the discussions with Colombo officials he he was assured that the commission will provide Sri Lankans with a credible and independent accountability mechanism.
Responsibility for carrying out a credible process that meets international standards rests first and foremost with the authorities of Sri Lanka, he said.
UN agencies have estimated that during the final stages of the war more than 7,500 civilians were killed.
The government is holding the first anniversary celebrations to mark the defeat of the rebels on Friday after being forced to postpone the event last month due to flooding.