The appointment of former army commander Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka as a member of parliament sends “worrying signals on accountability” from both the Sri Lankan president and prime minister, said Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statement released on Wednesday.

“Fonseka’s appointment signals that the government may protect senior military leaders suspected of widespread abuses,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The government should meaningfully demonstrate to the Sri Lankan people and the UN that it’s serious about accountability and not on the road to a whitewash.”

HRW also noted that the current government, which came into power last year, promoted Sri Lankan Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias, who headed the 57th division of the Sri Lankan army during the final stages of the armed conflict and is accused of overseeing major violations of international humanitarian law. He was made Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan army last year, a move slammed by international NGOs and called a "a slap in the face for victims” by HRW.

Similarly, “Fonseka’s appointment is a breach of trust for victims and families who believed in this government’s commitment to deliver justice for war crimes,” Mr Adams said.

“President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickramasinghe are sending worrying signals on accountability at a time when they should be presenting themselves as leaders determined to achieve justice for all Sri Lankans,” he continued. “By giving Fonseka a seat in parliament and the highest military rank, they threaten the goodwill their government has generated since coming to power.”

See more from HRW here.