The Commonwealth Secretariat welcomes the measures taken by Sri Lanka to address the allegations of war crimes leveled against it by the British television station Channel 4 in a recently aired video.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General's Spokesperson in a statement  said the Sri Lanka Ministry of External Affairs has informed the Secretariat that if the allegations levelled in the television programme are found to be genuine, the country's own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) will take due note and remedial measures will be taken by way of legal sanctions.

"The Secretariat welcomes this undertaking to establish the facts of the situation, and to complete a full, credible, and thorough investigation that reflects Commonwealth values and principles to which all members subscribe," the Commonwealth Secretariat said.

Noting that there is "understandable widespread abhorrence at what the programme purports to show," the Commonwealth said it has conveyed these to the Sri Lankan government.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General has made this statement on 23 June 2011 in response to queries received, the Spokesperson stated.

The Commonwealth Secretariat said it has received expressions of concern about the contents of a recent television programme concerning the conflict in Sri Lanka.
The government has informed the Secretariat that the video footage will be given the attention that it obviously merits, by the LLRC.