Government Delaying Resolution of National Ethnic Issue: Civil Representatives

30-Oct-2025

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Civil society representatives have told British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andrew Patrick that the government has been delaying actions related to resolving the national ethnic issue, promoting reconciliation, and ensuring accountability, citing these as complex and controversial matters.

However, they urged the British government to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government to take immediate action on these issues.

The discussion took place recently at the British High Commission in Colombo between the High Commissioner and civil society representatives including Dr. Jehan Perera (National Peace Council), Thyagi Ruwanpathirana (Amnesty International South Asia researcher), Attorneys-at-Law Ranitha Gnanarajah and Shabana Gul-Begum, among others.

The High Commissioner inquired about the current human rights situation in Sri Lanka, government-led reform initiatives, and the new UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka.

Civil representatives pointed out that as the National People’s Power government nears one year in office, key promises made during the election campaign—such as repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act, amending the Public Security Ordinance, releasing political prisoners, and drafting a new constitution—remain unfulfilled.

They further emphasized that, as a former colonial power and current leader of the “core group” of nations on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC (after the U.S. withdrawal), the United Kingdom has a responsibility to ensure human rights, accountability, and reform progress in Sri Lanka.

Civil representatives reiterated that the government continues to delay addressing the ethnic issue, reconciliation, and accountability, and called upon Britain to press the government to act without delay.