Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, recently concluded a ten-day visit to Sri Lanka. She visited Colombo and a range of other locations. On October 20, Ms. Izsák-Ndiaye released an impressive statement.
Let's look at parts of the concluding section of her statement:
As a consequence of the long conflict, there is a trust deficit vis-à-vis the state as well as between the communities in Sri Lanka. This is understandable and it is apparent that people from all communities do recognize the need for everyone to come together and re-generate trust at all levels of society. Sri Lankan identity and the notion of nationhood must be strengthened to foster a stronger sense of belongingness and togetherness of all Sri Lankans. And while the country is undergoing an important reconciliation process with constitutional reform, transitional justice and policy-making, the devastating impact of the war and violence on psychological well-being cannot continue to be ignored. Past acts of repression of culture and expression, ethnic intolerance and discrimination have severely damaged social and cultural norms and feelings of identity, belonging and trust. Therefore, the government of Sri Lanka, while implementing truth-seeking, reconciliation and accountability measures, should also consider supporting psychosocial programs, counselling and support interventions, and symbolic forms of healing for the population as a whole, especially in conflict-affected areas. It is imperative that war-affected communities, especially women, benefit from specialized psychosocial support without further delay, to help them overcome the trauma which often manifests in complex and intertwined physical, emotional and mental health complications.
Here's the next paragraph:
Truth-seeking, reconciliation and healing takes time and cannot be done overnight. However, at the same time, in order not to lose the momentum gained by the new administration in 2015, the government must put in place some urgent, important and concrete measures to clearly demonstrate its political will and commitment to better protect Sri Lanka's minorities. This includes continued return of land to their owners, charging or releasing all security-related detainees, making progress in finding disappeared persons and taking visible steps to gradually transfer military powers to civilian authorities.
Ms. Izsák-Ndiaye goes on to make numerous recommendations. On the one hand, the Sri Lankan government deserves credit for giving another UN Special Rapporteur access to the country. However, let's keep positive gestures like this in perspective.
When it comes to minority rights in particular, one could easily argue that Colombo hasn't governed in a dramatically different fashion than the regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the country's previous president who ruled from 2005 to January 2015.
Problems pertaining to land, continued militarization, sexual violence and more are still big issues in the country's conflict-affected northern and eastern provinces. And, regarding Tamil political prisoners, will the government continue to dither?
Sri Lanka has committed to a broad transitional justice agenda, yet there are well-founded worries that the current administration isn't serious about implementing it. Nearly two years into President Maithripala Sirisena's reign, it's incumbent upon Colombo to prove that things are truly changing.