The PM announced this at a meeting at Temple Trees yesterday (26) with defence secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi and senior Army officers.

The matters that cannot be resolved through this commission will be referred to the Supreme Court, he said, adding that foreign lawyers would give advice, but would not attend the hearings.

The country is not under pressure by any international organization to investigate the allegations, but action should be taken to safeguard human rights, said the PM.

He has previously said the commission would be set up by June this year.

Wickremesinghe also explained development work in northern and eastern provinces and stressed the need to return to the owners the private land taken over by the military during the war.

South African experience

South Africa too, had a truth and reconciliation commission that investigated allegations of human rights violations and crimes during a protracted conflict between two communities.

It failed to give justice to all or punish the criminals, but it led to reconciliation among communities, and therefore, has been hailed as a success.