HRW Calls for Accelerated Action on Past Abuses in Sri Lanka ⚖️

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a 49-page report alleging that the administration of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake lacks sufficient urgency in prosecuting past grave human rights abuses, despite making initial progress in select cases. • Overview of Domestic Justice Efforts: • HRW reviewed 7 prominent emblematic cases; found overall progress remains lagged and stalled. • Victims, families, and human rights defenders continue to face ongoing threats and intimidation. • Key Progress & Stalled Cases: • Recent Progress: Active steps taken in 2019 Easter Sunday bombing investigations (arrest of ex-military intelligence official Suresh Sallay in Feb 2026; travel bans on former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in June 2026). Inquiries reopened into high-profile cases (journalists Lasantha Wickrematunge & Prageeth Ekneligoda). • Mass Graves: Remains of 582 individuals recovered at Chemmani (Jaffna), but no progress in identifying victims or perpetrators. • Stalled Cases: No arrests or prosecutions in the 2006 murder of 5 Tamil students and 17 Action Contre la Faim aid workers. • Policy & International Stance: • Govt has not accepted the UNHRC Sri Lanka Accountability Project nor established the promised Directorate of Public Prosecution. • Relies on existing bodies (Office on Missing Persons, Office for Reparations), which many victims' families reject. • UN Call to Action: HRW urges the UN Human Rights Council and member nations to press Sri Lanka for genuine accountability and an end to impunity.