Tamil families carried out protests in Batticaloa and Jaffna yesterday, calling for an international investigation into enforced disappearances and the Tamil genocide.
As the United Nations Human Rights Council discussed the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka, protesters in the North-East took to the streets to demand justice for the disappeared, the unconditional release of political prisoners and to repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
At the UNHRC, several member states including the United States and Britain expressed “concerns regarding the continued lack of progress on accountability” for mass atrocities on the island.
The Core Group on Sri Lanka, comprising of Canada, Germany, North Macedonia, Malawi, Montenegro, the United Kingdom and the United States, raised concerns regarding the harassment of civil society and labelled any progress on the island “limited”. The UK also spoke of Sri Lanka’s treatment of Tamils and Muslims, as well as concerns over land grabs in the North-East.
Read more here: Russia and Belarus rush to Sri Lanka's defence at the UN Human Rights Council.