A recent report from the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) reveals continued human rights abuse by Sri Lankan security forces against Tamil civilians. The report examined the testimonies of 123 illegally detained Tamils, collectively held 139 times between 2015 and 2022, which consistently indicated the regular application of torture during these detainments.
These repressive actions appear to target potential affiliates of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a primary Tamil organization contesting the Sinhalese-majority government during the Sri Lankan civil war. Remarkably, half of the detainees revealed no connections to the LTTE. Out of the 139 instances of detention, 130 featured torture, encompassing barbaric treatments such as severe beatings, asphyxiation using a bag, exposure to heated objects, repeated drowning, and even suspension from a rope. Alongside, 91 of these instances also exhibited some form of sexual torture.
ITJP’s executive director, Yasmin Sooka, highlights that this ongoing brutality speaks to a culture of violence against the Tamil community, perpetuated by members of the governing elite. Sooka explains that the persistence of such abhorrent practices symbolizes the ingrained power and impunity held by these oppressive forces, devoid of any accountability for their actions. She stresses that comprehensive security sector reform, rooted out by the international community’s increased pressure on Sri Lanka, is requisite to cease this systemic violence aimed at Tamils.
This existing conflict traces back to the long-standing civil war in Sri Lanka, which broke out in 1983, pitting the Sinhalese-majority government against the Tamil minority’s demand for an independent state— serving as a reflection of enduring ethnic tensions. Although the government declared the war to have ended in 2009 with the LTTE leader’s killing, its repercussions linger on in Sri Lankan society. Human rights lawyers have asserted a persistent “slow but steady erosion of Tamil culture and legacy.”
To fully grasp the detailed analysis of the situation, do refer to the original article from JURIST – News.