December 11, Colombo (LNW): The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has submitted over 60 requests for sanctions and visa bans against Sri Lankan public and security officials, alleging their involvement in human rights violations and economic crimes.
These submissions have been made to governments including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and various European Union states, as well as to the United Nations.
The ITJP’s submissions focus on a wide range of abuses, detailing egregious human rights violations by Sri Lankan military, police, intelligence officials, and civil servants, as well as corruption within the country’s governance structures.
These violations, many of which occurred during and after the country’s civil conflict, include extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture, and sexual violence.
Some of these actions are alleged to constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, with a particular emphasis on attacks against civilians.
The ITJP also highlights systemic corruption within Sri Lanka’s public institutions, pointing to mismanagement and the misuse of public funds.
These actions, they argue, have had a significant impact on the country’s economy, contributing to its current financial crisis.
Moreover, the interference with judicial processes has hindered efforts to hold perpetrators of human rights abuses accountable, further entrenching impunity.
Among the high-profile individuals targeted in the ITJP’s filings are prominent Sri Lankan military officials, including Generals Shavendra Silva and Jagath Jayasuriya.
Silva, in particular, was publicly sanctioned by the United States in 2020 under the 7031(c) provision of the Appropriations Act due to his role in human rights abuses.
Both he and Jayasuriya have been linked to war crimes during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s civil war, with ITJP dossiers sent to multiple governments to support their cases.
The ITJP has also pursued legal action in several jurisdictions. In 2017, they filed universal jurisdiction cases for war crimes in Brazil and Chile, targeting Jayasuriya’s involvement in the notorious Joseph Camp military base.
This was followed by further complaints in Australia and the United States, including a Torture Victim Protection Act case against Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019. A criminal complaint was also filed in Singapore in 2022.
The organisation is continuing its work, with investigations into additional universal jurisdiction cases and new legal action planned.
Notably, two cases related to a Tamil paramilitary group, which was aligned with the Sri Lankan military, have led to arrests in the UK and an ongoing investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
Yasmin Sooka, Executive Director of the ITJP, stressed the importance of continued documentation of these violations and the pursuit of justice.
“In the absence of criminal accountability, it is crucial to continue asserting the truth and ensuring that those responsible for such crimes are held accountable,” she said.
She added that she hopes the new UK government will take action by imposing sanctions on Sri Lankan officials in recognition of their alleged roles in war crimes, marking Human Rights Day (Dec 10) as an opportunity for further accountability.
