Sri Lanka at 75: Whose Motherland, What Freedoms?
Sri Lanka’s national anthem presents a vision of the country as a motherland to many, life giving and filled with nature’s abundance and beauty, a place of truth seeking and wisdom. It…
Author: Savitri Hensman
Answering for Past Crimes and Ending Present Injustices
A Supreme Court judgement, a new US law, Canadian sanctions and United Nations evidence gathering are making it increasingly hard for Sri Lanka’s past and present rulers to avoid accountability for large…
After an Extraordinary Year, Uncertainty
In some ways, in 2022, life for Sri Lankans has followed a similar pattern to previous years. A few have prospered greatly or wielded power ruthlessly, many have faced misery, protests by…
President’s Anti Freedom Crackdown Undermines Trust
As Sri Lankans continue to suffer the effects of the economic crisis and varied human rights abuses, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has made clear his willingness to use force against people who protest…
Achieving Human Rights for Sri Lankans After UN Vote
On October 6, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution calling for major change after repeated abuses by the Sri Lankan regime. There were 20 votes in favour with…
Regime’s Abuses Will Be Costly When UN Human Rights Council Votes
The failure of Sri Lanka’s rulers to protect ordinary people and treat with them with dignity will be a focus of worldwide attention on October 6 when the United Nations Human Rights…
UN Human Rights Council Urged to Take Firm Action on Sri Lanka
During the first week of the latest United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) gathering in Geneva, the grave economic and political situation in Sri Lanka was discussed and strong action urged. This…
Sri Lanka Faces a Gathering Storm at Geneva Sessions
As the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) prepares to meet, the regime’s multiple failures to protect and respect Sri Lankans are under local and international scrutiny. A hard-hitting report from the…
Widespread Condemnation for Detention of Protesters Under PTA
After a number of protestors were arrested in Colombo, three student activists have been detained under the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) despite expressions of concern from the international community. Amid…
Stabilising Sri Lanka, Learning from July 1983
Arrests, amidst a wider crackdown on protesters in Sri Lanka, threaten progress in tackling the economic crisis. Although a show of repressive force may be intended in part to promote stability, in…
Building on the Success of People Power
There have been extraordinary scenes in Colombo and beyond as protesters calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to quit surged forward to take over his official residence, which he had fled. In the…
Arrests and Intimidation of Protesters Undermine Human Rights
The arrest of several protestors calling for Sri Lanka’s president and his associates to step down amid the ongoing economic crisis, has drawn attention to the grave human rights situation which persists…
Sri Lanka Under the Jackboot
The Rajapaksa regime has declared a state of emergency amid ongoing protests including a general strike on May 6. This gives the government drastic powers to crack down on dissidents. The move…
Preventing or Promoting Terror? Regime’s Rough Ride at UN
The Sri Lankan government was never likely to find the scrutiny of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March 2022 a comfortable experience. In a discussion delayed because of the…
UN Report Increases Pressure on Government Amid Continuing Human Rights Violations
There has been some progress on aspects of human rights in Sri Lanka in the past year according to a key United Nations report but major failings remain and, on some matters,…