The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called on Sri Lanka’s new government to seize a “historic opportunity” to end decades of impunity for war crimes and human rights abuses.

In a report to the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Türk said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration could restore Sri Lanka’s global image by addressing long-standing accountability issues.

“Today, an opportunity presents itself for Sri Lanka to break from the past,” Türk said, noting the president’s public acknowledgment of the shared suffering of all communities affected by the island’s decades-long conflict.

He urged Colombo to deliver tangible results in truth-telling, justice, reparations, and non-recurrence, starting with a formal recognition of violations committed during the 37-year civil war, which ended in 2009. UN reports accuse Sri Lankan troops of killing at least 40,000 Tamil civilians in the war’s final months—a claim successive governments have denied.

Türk warned that if Sri Lanka fails to act, the international community should use universal jurisdiction to prosecute alleged war criminals.

During a recent visit to Sri Lanka, Türk met with the president, civil society leaders, and communities in war-affected areas, where he said victims’ demands for truth and justice “remain palpable.” He welcomed pledges to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act, establish an independent prosecutor, and pursue investigations into emblematic cases such as the 2009 killing of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge.

The report also addressed the lingering social impact of the country’s 2022 economic crisis, which has nearly doubled poverty rates since 2019 and sharply increased child malnutrition.

BOB Post