United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has warned Sri Lanka against falling into the “impunity trap” and urged the NPP government “to hold to account the perpetrators of the most severe crimes”. He said so at a meeting in Colombo on Tuesday (24).

Türk arrived in Colombo on Monday on a four-day visit.

“In our complex and violent global landscape, there may be lessons for Sri Lanka – and lessons that the world needs to learn from Sri Lanka,” said Türk, as he tackled two main themes in his remarks.

“Today, Sri Lanka is threatened by two traps: the impunity trap, and the inequality trap.

“Many States have experienced years of war, internal armed conflict or repression,” he said. “Some have been able to achieve genuine reconciliation… A steady, unwavering focus on the voices and rights of victims – and their families – is essential to this work.”

“But it is also vital to hold to account the perpetrators of the most severe crimes,” he continued. “Vital for justice. Vital for deterrence. Vital for the victims who have suffered inconceivable pain and loss. Vital for the future.”

He shared a personal anecdote as an Austrian, noting how his country only fully confronted its role in Nazi atrocities decades later. “I know that coming to terms with the reality of massacres, terrorism, enforced disappearances, torture or sexual violence is a very painful process,” he said, but stressed the danger of ignoring victims’ suffering or allowing “revisionist narratives” to flourish.

He stressed that justice and acknowledgment of past atrocities were not just matters of history, but essential prerequisites for sustainable peace and development.

“Commissions and inquiries that lead nowhere, or whose recommendations are never implemented, will erode public trust and compound the trauma for victims,” the High Commissioner continued. “I want to emphasise this point: an absence of justice will undermine the stability of peace. Conversely, acknowledging the truth creates the space for justice and reparations – and ultimately, healing.

“Accountability and justice, including full acknowledgment of the truth of what was done to people, shape the path to lasting reconciliation.”

The current Sri Lankan government has, like others before it, rejected UN resolutions on accountability for mass atrocities and refused to co-operate with any international justice mechanisms.

He also warned of growing social and economic inequalities and said “states can make human rights central to all policies relating to the economy and business – investing in people’s access to quality education and healthcare; to universal social protection; to decent work; to food, clean water, sanitation and housing; and to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment”.

Reiterating the need for economic policies grounded in human rights, Türk referenced global models for universal social protection and called for reforms to international financial institutions to ease debt burdens.

Reflecting on the 2022 Aragalaya protests, he described them as a collective expression of “aspirations of Sri Lankans for a new, more just society and a more humane social order”.

The UN Rights chief concluded by reiterating his commitment to supporting victims of violations and to cooperating with Sri Lankan authorities. He described his office as offering “a mirror” to the country – one that may reflect “an uncomfortable image” but reveals truth.

“Sri Lanka is at a key moment,” he concluded. “This can be a new chapter and a new opportunity… Against a backdrop of deepening global threats, this country can show the world that a society can turn its back on violence, and build a new path towards respect, inclusive prosperity, and peace.”

Türk has previously raised alarm over Sri Lanka’s continued use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), calling for an immediate moratorium on its use. He has also urged the government to ensure that any replacement legislation complies with international human rights standards. Further concerns include the Online Safety Act and the ICCPR Act, which have been criticised for unduly restricting freedoms of opinion, expression, association, and peaceful assembly.