Sri Lanka’s War Anniversary Highlights Lack of Justice

Dispatches Still No Justice on Sri Lanka War Anniversary UN Pursues Accountability in Response to Government Inaction

On May 18th, 2023, Tamils in Sri Lanka marked Mullivaikkal Memorial Day in remembrance of those who died during the final stages of the country’s brutal civil war that ended in 2009. Despite the passage of 14 years, the Sri Lankan government remains in denial about the atrocities committed by its forces. Thousands of Tamil civilians lost their lives during the conflict when the Sri Lankan army bombarded self-declared “no fire zones” in fighting against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Furthermore, following the defeat of the LTTE, government security forces extrajudicially executed or forcibly disappeared numerous captured LTTE fighters and suspected civilian supporters.

Even though there were endless abuses committed by both sides during the conflict, the Sri Lankan administrations have failed to take the necessary steps to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the grave human rights abuses and war crimes committed during and since the 26-year civil war. The UN and other human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized successive Sri Lankan governments for their lack of action with this regard.

Various human rights organizations have called for the Sri Lankan government to investigate the grave violations committed during the war, but the government has made little progress. Additionally, government officials who have been accused of war crimes have remained politically powerful, with some even holding senior positions in the Sri Lankan military.

The Sri Lankan government has also failed to engage with mothers of disappeared Tamil citizens who have been struggling to trace the fate of their loved ones, as these individuals continuously face harassment from security agencies.

In April 2023, a UN report criticized the government’s effort to trace disappeared citizens, stating that the government’s Office on Missing Persons had appointed “individuals implicated in past human rights violations.” The UN report also accused the office of “interference in the prosecution of such cases.”

Despite the repeated calls for accountability, the Sri Lankan government remains unwilling to prosecute civil war-era crimes, compelling victims and their families to seek justice elsewhere. The UN established an accountability project to gather evidence for use in future prosecutions after the government withdrew from an earlier agreement that envisaged a “hybrid” process of Sri Lankan and foreign judicial officers.

The Sri Lankan President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has proposed forming a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” but the recommendations of all previous domestic commissions have been ignored. Human rights organizations fear that this would be a way for the government to sideline justice efforts rather than promote them.

Until the government takes the necessary actions to hold those responsible for the grave violations accountable, the international community should work with the UN accountability project to vigorously pursue justice abroad. The Sri Lankan government should also be reminded of their obligation to investigate and prosecute these serious violations to which many people still suffer.

In conclusion, while the Sri Lankan government continues to be in denial of the atrocities committed during the war, the international community should hold them accountable for these grave human rights violations and war crimes. By doing so, we can ensure that there is justice for the victims of war and their families, and such atrocities are never repeated.

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