Pakiyaselvam Ariyanethiran Sends Letter to UN High Commissioner on Accountability

11-Aug-2025

.

Pakiyaselvam Ariyanethiran, who ran as the Tamil common candidate representing Northern and Eastern provinces in last year’s presidential election, sent a letter to UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Turk expressing deep concern over the UN Human Rights Council’s approach to Sri Lanka’s accountability.

Ahead of the 60th session of the Council in September, representatives of Tamil political parties and civil society groups submitted a joint report clarifying their position.

Ariyanethiran’s letter emphasizes the limited mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner, delays in establishing accountability, and the need for an independent, fair, and effective process instead of the Sri Lankan government’s domestic approach.

The letter calls for confirming accountability for crimes like genocide, recommending practical alternative procedures within the UN system, fully internationalizing the accountability process, and ensuring impartial mechanisms.