24.09.2024

15 Years After the Civil War

The OMP (Office on Missing Persons) was founded to investigate disappearance of people by the state. But among its staff are former military officers: so these women keep protesting against it. Photo by: Kumanan Kanapathippillai

The protests from 2022 led to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa standing down and leaving the country. Photo by: UEM

"Something has to change!": This demand resonates on every page of the new dossier by Sri Lanka Advocacy (SLA). The dossier is issued in German language, targeting German government and non government institutions to stand with the people in Sri Lanka. In 2024, 15 years after the end of the civil war between the "Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam" and the state military, Sri Lankan society is facing significant challenges. These include the rule of law and democracy, as well as a reconciliation process between the Tamil and Sinhalese populations that truly deserves the name.

Franziska Koch, coordinator of the SLA, emphasises: "With this dossier, readers can learn about the state of human rights and democracy in Sri Lanka. It is a highly topical read on the importance of dealing with the past, accountability and remembrance, which also invites reflection on German history and current political developments."

The dossier combines both international and Sri Lankan perspectives, offering not only precise analyses of current issues but also potential solutions within Sri Lankan society. For example, reconciliation processes emerging from civil society are considered more promising than those initiated by the state. The contributions are complemented by recommendations to the German Federal Government and the international community, to whom SLA, as a German organisation, particularly directs its efforts.

Sri Lanka Advocacy is a network of German organisations that has been dedicated to improving the human rights situation and promoting the rule of law in Sri Lanka since 2010. United Evangelical Mission is a member of Sri Lanka Advocacy, supporting it financially and with an office in its Wuppertal Mission House. The network focuses on partnership-based collaboration with civil society actors in Sri Lanka. Its aim is to raise awareness in Germany about the situation in Sri Lanka.

You can access the dossier online here (in German language).