- Complaint filed with Singapore’s attorney general seeking arrest of former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He is accused of grave violations of the Geneva Conventions during the civil war.
- The UN estimates that 100,000 people died in the conflict, but the true figure is much higher.
- At least 40,000 ethnic minority Tamil civilians were killed in the final months of the fighting. Under the Rajapaksas, efforts to investigate allegations of war crimes were largely suppressed. Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new prime minister.
A human rights organisation has filed a criminal complaint with Singapore’s attorney general seeking the arrest of former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for alleged war crimes.
Mr Rajapaksa, who fled to Singapore earlier this month after being removed from office due to Sri Lanka’s economic collapse, served as defence minister during the country’s civil war, which ended in 2009.
The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), an evidence-gathering organisation run by a non-profit foundation in South Africa, announced on Sunday that its lawyers had filed a complaint requesting his immediate arrest.
Mr Rajapaksa is accused of grave violations of the Geneva Conventions during the civil war, “and that these are crimes subject to domestic prosecution in Singapore under universal jurisdiction.”
The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has left the country’s 22 million people facing shortages of basic necessities such as medicine, fuel, and food.
Protests have centred on the Rajapaksa political dynasty, which has ruled the country for the majority of the last two decades.
“The government has collapsed due to the economic meltdown, but the crisis in Sri Lanka is really linked to structural impunity for serious international crimes dating back three decades or more,” said ITJP executive director Yasmin Sooka.
The UN estimates that 100,000 people died in the civil war, but the true figure is thought to be much higher.
During an investigation at the President’s Palace in Colombo, Sri Lanka, police examine damage to a conference hall. Bloomberg
During an investigation at the President’s Palace in Colombo, Sri Lanka, police examine damage to a conference hall. Bloomberg
According to a UN panel of experts, at least 40,000 ethnic minority Tamil civilians were killed in the final months of the fighting.
Tamil Tiger rebels fought to establish an independent state for Tamil ethnic minorities.
Mr Rajapaksa and his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa were credited with the war victory by the country’s ethnic Sinhala majority, cementing the family’s political dominance.
Under the Rajapaksas, efforts to investigate allegations of war crimes were largely suppressed.
As the new government in Sri Lanka cracks down on protests, a new prime minister is sworn in.
After Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country earlier this month, politicians chose Ranil Wickremesinghe to complete his presidency.
He declared a state of emergency with broad powers to enforce law and order, and a day later, hundreds of armed troops raided a protest camp outside the president’s office, attacking demonstrators with batons.
Rights groups have urged Mr Wickremesinghe to immediately order troops and police to stop using force, claiming that last week’s demonstration appeared to follow a pattern of Sri Lankan authorities using force to suppress dissent.
Political unrest has jeopardised Sri Lanka’s economic recovery prospects.
Mr Wickremesinghe recently stated that bailout negotiations with the IMF were nearing completion.
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