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World

Sri Lankan opposition presidential candidate vows domestic inquiry into alleged war crimes

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Sri Lankan main opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena arrives to launch of his election manifesto in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Dec. 19, 2014. Sirisena said Friday that the country cannot be charged with war crimes in the International Criminal Court, but he will launch a domestic inquiry if he wins a January election. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) (The Associated Press)

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    Sri Lankan main opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena speaks during the launch of his election manifesto in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Dec. 19, 2014. Sirisena said Friday that the country cannot be charged with war crimes in the International Criminal Court, but he will launch a domestic inquiry if he wins a January election. Manifesto cover reads "Maithri regime, stable country.” (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) (The Associated Press)

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    Sri Lanka's main opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena speaks during the launch of his election manifesto in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Dec. 19, 2014. Sirisena said Friday that the country cannot be charged with war crimes in the International Criminal Court, but he will launch a domestic inquiry if he wins a January election. Writing in Sinhalese writes "Gather for a change. Maithri regime. New country in a hundred days." (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) (The Associated Press)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka's main opposition presidential candidate says the country cannot be charged with war crimes in the International Criminal Court, but he will launch a domestic inquiry if he wins a January election.

Maithripala Sirisena said in a policy statement on Friday that Sri Lanka has not ratified the statute that established the international court, and that he would therefore institute an investigation by a local independent court.

The U.N. Human Rights Council is investigating allegations of war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels during the country's civil war. An earlier U.N. inquiry said at least 40,000 ethnic Tamil civilians died in the final months of the war, which ended in 2009.

Sirisena is challenging President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the presidency.