Tamils across the North-East reject proposed National Unity and Reconciliation Commission

by Viruben
Jul 25, 2023

The North-East Coordinate Committee, a collective of 16 civil society organisations across the North-East, has urged the international community to reject the Sri Lankan government’s proposed National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) and instead implement an independent international investigation into war crimes.

The letter notes the abject failure of domestic mechanisms in Sri Lanka such as the Office of Missing Persons which held “very few powers” and has proven “unable to assist the families of the disappeared”.

The statement further notes continued issues of militarisation, landgrabs, Buddhistaion and human rights violations across the North-East. In particular, the statement highlights the state’s crackdown on memorialisation activities and intimidation of human rights defenders and civil society actors.

The statement concludes calling on the international community to;

  • reject and refuse to fund the proposed NURC.
  • End state-sponsored landgrabs and militarisation of the Tamil homeland
  • End state-sponsored intimidation of survivor communities and human rights defenders
  • Call on Sri Lanka to officially invite the Sri Lanka Accountability Project representatives of OHCHR.
  • Call on Sri Lanka to work with the UN and international community to establish an international justice mechanism
  • Call on Sri Lanka to implement a federal model of power sharing

The full statement is available below:

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