At the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which is in progress, Sri Lanka once again rejected international accountability mechanisms even as victims’ families pressed for justice.
Meanwhile, Suraj Nilang, father of Vihanga Tejantha, a 20-year-old killed in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings at Colombo’s Shangri-La Hotel, made an emotional appeal on behalf of the Centre for Society and Religion and Franciscans International. He urged the Council to ensure a thorough, independent and speedy investigation into the attacks, stressing that justice must reach all perpetrators.
Nilang also called for full economic, social and psychological support for survivors and families of victims, highlighting that Tejantha was among the few non-Christian victims in the coordinated assaults, which primarily targeted Christian worshippers. Nearly a year into President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration, he noted, key masterminds remain unidentified and investigations continue to face “serious shortcomings.”
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, addressing the Council in Geneva, insisted that accountability for mass atrocities, including longstanding allegations relating to the civil war, would only be pursued through domestic mechanisms. He categorically ruled out any international inquiry, repeating the government’s position that claims of genocide and calls for external intervention were politically motivated and undermined national sovereignty.
The stark contrast between the government’s stance and the victims’ calls underscored continuing tensions at the UNHRC, where Sri Lanka’s credibility on accountability and reconciliation remains under intense scrutiny.
