- The U.N. human rights chief has called for an International Criminal Court investigation into Sri Lanka’s Tamil separatist conflict and sanctions on military officials accused of war crimes.
- Michelle Bachelet accused Sri Lanka of reneging on promises to ensure justice for thousands of civilians killed in the final stages of the 37-year separatist war that ended a decade ago.
- The government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reversed some advances made under previous administrations in protecting human rights.
- Mr. Rajapaksa won a 2019 presidential election on a nationalist agenda which included a promise that troops who crushed Tamil rebels would not be prosecuted.
- Mr. Rajapaksa was the top defence official when government forces crushed the guerrillas in a military campaign that ended in May 2009. His brother Mr. Mahinda was President then and is currently Prime Minister.