At UN Human Rights Council Inching Forward or Playing for Time?
Photo courtesy of Zira Daily
“Sri Lanka today has an historic opportunity to heal from the cycles of violence and impunity that have dominated for decades,” said United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on September 8, 2025 at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) 60th regular session. “The Government has a clear mandate from across the nation for transformative reforms, accountability, truth and justice. During my recent visit, the country’s leadership pledged a fresh direction on long standing issues. It is crucial for this approach to be translated into a coherent, time-bound plan for concrete action.”
He echoed some of the themes in his written report, circulated earlier, which valued the more inclusive tone of Sri Lanka’s leaders and promises of change while underlining the importance of action. As people and groups on the island have repeatedly pointed out, a shift is needed to stop fresh abuses of human rights as well as address historical concerns, especially those raised by victims and bereaved families. He also highlighted the responsibility of the international community, including on economic rights, pointing to the harm caused by high US tariffs and debt-related measures and urged it to “support Sri Lankans to escape from the twin threats posed by persistent impunity, and deep inequality.”
The government’s response was that it was handling matters adequately itself, although willing to accept some assistance from the international community. But this was met with scepticism from various quarters within Sri Lanka and abroad and there is a risk that rhetoric about progress will continue to outstrip reality.
A long and uncertain path towards justice
As the session, due to run from September 8 to October 8 2025, opened in Geneva Volker Türk outlined a worrying situationacross various continents, highlighting the plight of Gaza and need for international action. He warned that “Abuses committed against one group are always part of a broader pattern of oppression and lead to the wider erosion of fundamental freedoms.”
An interactive dialogue on Sri Lanka was an early item on the agenda, in which he presented his report, followed by comments by the government, other states and non-governmental organisations. He called for “decisive action by the Government on justice and accountability, which are essential to fostering a future of healing, reconciliation and sustainable peace;” and “deep constitutional, legal and institutional reforms.” These included addressing concerns about the Prevention of Terrorism Act, Online Safety Act, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act, the draft NGO Bill and the draft Personal Data Protection Act and ongoing harassment of human rights defenders, victims’ groups and journalists; and demilitarising the north and east, returning land and devolving power “to all levels of governance.”
The Sri Lanka accountability project, “through which we have built a secure repository of over 105,000 items of evidence – a critical resource for legal processes, justice and truth-seeking,” could assist in achieving desperately needed change, he suggested. He called “on all Member States to support this work. I also call on them to cooperate in investigating and prosecuting alleged perpetrators of international crimes committed in Sri Lanka, under principles of universal jurisdiction, and to explore further sanctions against people credibly accused of gross violations of human rights.”
As in the past, the Sri Lankan state delegation led this time by foreign minister Vijitha Herath claimed that concerns were misplaced. “A number of measures have been introduced to promote the economic and social wellbeing of the people, to strengthen reconciliation and ensure social justice,” he said, mentioning various measures which according to him were in place or underway. “Developments within less than a year clearly demonstrate our genuine commitment and determination to protect and promote the rights and wellbeing of all Sri Lankans through our domestic processes” and “the Government is opposed to any external mechanism imposed on us such as the Sri Lanka Accountability Project which serves to create divisions and complicate the national reconciliation process underway in Sri Lanka.”
But, on a more conciliatory note, he stated that “The Government will continue to work in close cooperation with the international community through capacity building and technical assistance in mutually agreed areas to further strengthen these efforts.” A willingness to cooperate to some extent was also reflected when an informed source spoke with the Daily Mirror; reportedly this might include assisting in investigations into skeletal remains at the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna. Also the Sri Lankan state would apparently not seek a vote when the core group of countries monitoring progress presented a proposed resolution to the HRC during the session.
A statement on behalf of the core group was delivered by the UK’s permanent representative to the UN, Kumar Iyer; the other members were Canada, Malawi, Montenegro and North Macedonia. Again the government was urged “to turn its commitments into meaningful actions on human rights, accountability, reconciliation, good governance and constitutional reform… We remain willing to work constructively with Sri Lanka.” Various others expressed backing for or urged improvements by the state, including a call by India to move forward on long delayed provincial council elections; the ongoing wait has dented government credibility among some Sri Lankans, especially minorities. A joint statement by the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International and Forum Asia further highlighted a “discrepancy between announcements and reality.”
Reactions in Sri Lanka varied. Opposition party Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) expressed “deep disappointment on the government’s response to several pressing issues of accountability and reconciliation.” These included failure to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and fact that “A decade and a half after the conclusion of the armed conflict, there has been no internal mechanism for accountability whatsoever. It is in this background; it is only natural for the victims to look for international involvement.” The planned delay to the provincial council elections breached the government’s “promise to the Tamil speaking peoples of the North and East by unduly denying their franchise.”
When a draft resolution appeared, it outlined the need for action on a wide range of issues identified. But it adopted a softer stance than that previously taken on the need for international participation in a judicial mechanism to ensure accountability and was criticised by some as too weak. Instead the government was urged “to proactively seek international support to ensure sufficient financial, human and technical resources to conduct exhumations in line with international standards” and “to seek international assistance to strengthen capacities.” The Office of the High Commissioner would be asked to continue to monitor and periodically report on progress.
While a sense of ownership by Sri Lankans of what emerges from an accountability process is vital, it is unclear how ordinary people in vulnerable positions could feel and be safe to participate fully without international input to provide reassurance. A report published in September by the official watchdog, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), after a fact finding mission on the ongoing investigation into the mass grave site in Chemmani in August gave an insight into the alarming realities on the ground.
As an accompanying news release explained, “The report highlighted disturbing accounts of certain officers of the CID intimidating persons involved in the excavation and exhumation work at the mass grave site. In such circumstances, the report concluded that the continued involvement of regular police officers in the investigation into the mass grave site in Chemmani was likely to prejudice the outcome of the investigation… The report also recounted details from the HRCSL’s ongoing investigation into a complaint made by journalist Kumanan Kanapathippillai… such acts by law enforcement authorities were likely to have a chilling effect on media freedom… while specific institutional actors appear to be discharging their duties with commitment and care, there remains a gap in capacity and will among law enforcement authorities to ensure accountability.”
While an independent office for prosecuting crimes by state officials could be a step forward, how effective this is likely to be remains questionable, especially when police and members of the armed forces still hold such power over citizens. And the government has not yet shown it is willing consistently to champion the victimised, marginalised and impoverished.
The government may have bought some time at the UN. But if it keeps stalling, the patience of people inside Sri Lanka as well as overseas friends will be further strained to fraying point.
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