Sri Lanka Urged to Memorialize Civil War Victims: Expert Panel Report Released

An expert panel appointed by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has recommended the right to commemorate victims of the three-decade civil war. The panel's report, submitted a year after its formation, acknowledges ongoing memorialization efforts and suggests a centrally located building to promote reconciliation and community healing.

An expert panel appointed by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has put forth a recommendation to commemorate the victims of the island nation's three-decade civil war.

The panel, established a year ago, submitted its report recently, underlining the necessity of memorializing those who perished amid armed conflict and political unrest between 1983 and 2009.

The Committee's report recognizes the right to memorialize and acknowledges various ongoing efforts by groups and individuals to engage with the past for reconciliation.

Since 2009, clashes between security forces and civilians in the North and East provinces have highlighted the tensions surrounding the right to memorialize victims versus the recognition of fallen soldiers by the state. Despite allegations of discrimination from rights groups, state ceremonies continue to honor war heroes.

The panel's public sessions across former conflict districts provided a platform for expressions related to community healing. One key recommendation is the establishment of a centrally located iconic building to serve as a repository for conflict and reconciliation efforts, aimed at non-recurrence and promoting unity among all Sri Lankans.

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