Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised alarms following a new UN Human Rights Office report, urging the UN Human Rights Council to take immediate action to safeguard human rights in Sri Lanka. The report underscores the urgent need for accountability and protection for victims’ families and human rights defenders within the nation.

According to Meenakshi Ganguly, the deputy Asia director of HRW, the continuation of the UN Sri Lanka Accountability Project is vital. "Continuing engagement by the Human Rights Council and renewal of the accountability project is crucial so long as the government fails in its obligation to respect and protect the rights of all Sri Lankans," Ganguly stated.

The concerns stem from findings in a report by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, which documented numerous instances of custodial deaths, alleged torture, and ineffective investigations. Türk also highlighted the issue of arbitrary arrests during drug enforcement operations and ongoing surveillance and harassment of civil society actors and families of the disappeared.

Türk’s report also reflects on the broader context of Sri Lanka's troubled past, including the 1987-1989 Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna uprising, and emphasizes the critical need for transitional justice for victims of enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

Despite promises by President Anura Kumara Disanayaka to repeal the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), amend the Online Safety Act, and establish an independent public prosecutor, these reforms have yet to be implemented. As Türk pointed out, the structural conditions that have historically led to human rights violations still persist under the current leadership.

The High Commissioner has urged the Sri Lankan government to repeal or amend laws that infringe on fundamental human rights, expedite investigations into emblematic human rights violation cases, and publicize the findings of human rights-related commissions of inquiry.

Sri Lanka, often referred to as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean,” has experienced significant economic and political instability, notably during the 2022 turmoil, and continuing challenges following the end of its civil war in 2009. The recent uncovering of over 100 skeletal remains, including children and infants, in a mass grave in northern Sri Lanka has intensified international calls for accountability. These findings highlight the country's longstanding issues with enforced disappearances, estimated to involve between 60,000 and 100,000 individuals during its 26-year civil war.

The international community, led by entities like HRW and the UN, continues to push for substantial reforms and justice in Sri Lanka, reflecting a global concern for human rights and the rule of law in the region.