Sri Lanka’s NPP government is preparing for a softer, conciliatory approach at the upcoming UNHRC session, pledging domestic reconciliation measures with international support while promising reforms on land, detainees, and justice.
Sri Lanka is set to adopt a more conciliatory stance with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) under the National People’s Power (NPP) government, with plans to address allegations of rights violations through a domestic mechanism backed by international assistance, Daily Mirror learns.
The core group of countries led by the United Kingdom, alongside Canada, Malawi, Montenegro and North Macedonia—is expected to move a fresh resolution on Sri Lanka during the session beginning September 8. The group has already urged Colombo to prioritize comprehensive reconciliation and accountability processes that reflect the needs of affected communities, build on past recommendations, and meet international standards.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk visited Sri Lanka from June 23 to 26, marking the first such visit since 2016. He held discussions with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, and other top officials, urging Sri Lanka to explore international legal options for advancing accountability.
He also called on the government to foster an enabling environment for transitional justice by acceding to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, releasing long-held detainees under the PTA, halting new land seizures while accelerating land titling in the north and east, and ensuring impartiality and international oversight in the Office on Missing Persons. Türk further encouraged measures to support victims’ memorialisation and return of military-occupied lands.
The Foreign Ministry confirmed that Minister Vijitha Herath will attend the UNHRC session. A ministry source stressed that unlike in the past, the government will not adopt a hostile stance. “Instead, it will make a conciliatory approach,” the source said.
Asked whether Sri Lanka would co-sponsor the upcoming resolution, the source clarified: “The government will not co-sponsor it. Still, it will seek engagement with the international community rather than being confrontational.”
The government is preparing to roll out the draft of its new counterterrorism law, intended to replace the PTA. In parallel, it plans to release military-held lands in the North and initiate fresh steps for truth-seeking and justice, signaling a clear shift in policy direction.
