UN Rights Chief Türk’s June 2025 Sri Lanka Visit – Engagements with Tamil Leaders, Civil Society, and Advocacy

Briefing Note: Volker Türk's Visit to Sri Lanka

Overview of the Visit

By: Wimal Navaratnam, Human Rights Activist, Brampton Canada, June 26, 2025, 12:03 PM

Background and Overview of the Visit

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk conducted an official visit to Sri Lanka from 23 to 26 June 2025, the first such visit by a UN human rights chief in nearly a decade. The visit came ahead of a UN Human Rights Council session in September where Sri Lanka’s wartime accountability commitments would be scrutinized. According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR), Türk’s itinerary included Colombo (the capital) as well as the Tamil-majority regions of Trincomalee in the Eastern Province, Jaffna in the Northern Province, and the city of Kandy in the central highlands. In Colombo, he met the Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, key ministers, and opposition figures. Critically, he was also scheduled to engage with civil society organisations, victims of human rights abuses, and religious leaders to discuss a wide range of human rights issues – notably accountability for past atrocities, reconciliation efforts, and remedies for victims.

From the outset, Tamil communities and human rights groups placed high expectations on Türk’s visit. Tamil families of the disappeared publicly urged him to meet with them and to visit Mullivaikkal – the site of the final 2009 massacres that Tamils regard as a genocide – to pay respects and witness the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s civil war. A visit to the recently uncovered Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna was reportedly on his schedule as well, symbolizing the focus on unresolved wartime abuses. Major international human rights organizations (including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists, Forum-Asia and the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice) released a joint open letter ahead of the trip, urging Türk to reinforce international scrutiny and demand accountability. They pressed him to meet Tamil war victims’ families, visit Mullivaikkal, and ensure the continuation of UN evidence-gathering efforts (the OHCHR Sri Lanka Accountability Project, OSLAP) despite any government pushback. The groups warned that Sri Lanka’s government might try to use the visit to boost its legitimacy and undermine the UN Human Rights Council’s ongoing monitoring of Sri Lanka. Locally, a coalition of 65 Tamil civil society activists from the militarized North and East also sent an open letter highlighting persistent abuses. They described how, 15+ years after the war, Tamil communities still endure land grabs, heavy military presence, and enforced disappearance with “shadow war” conditions. This collective urged the High Commissioner to address key Tamil grievances – recommending that he visit mass grave sites (like Chemmani), engage directly with victims' families and activists, push for international investigations (including a possible referral of Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court), and advocate for the repeal of repressive laws like the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Against this backdrop, Volker Türk arrived in Sri Lanka on June 23, expressing that he hoped to “assess the human rights situation across the island” and encourage progress on justice, reconciliation, and the economic crisis impacts. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry welcomed him, pledging “constructive engagement” and claiming the government was eager to show progress on ethical governance and human rights. The stage was set for a closely watched visit, especially in the Tamil-majority regions where decades-old grievances remain raw.

Meetings with Tamil Political Leaders in the North-East

A key part of Türk’s visit was listening to Tamil political leaders, many of whom have long advocated for accountability and justice. On the evening of Wednesday, June 25, Türk traveled to Jaffna in the Northern Province, where he held a closed-door meeting with Tamil parliamentarians and political representatives at a private venue. According to those present, the High Commissioner assured the Tamil MPs that their people’s plight would not be forgotten despite numerous global crises competing for attention. MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam (from the eastern Batticaloa District) reported that Türk explicitly told them he came to Sri Lanka “to ensure that the Sri Lankan Tamil issue is not diluted” at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, even with other conflicts like the Middle East and Ukraine dominating headlines. Rasamanickam had raised a concern many Tamils share – whether Sri Lanka’s accountability issue would remain a priority internationally – and he was reassured by Türk that Sri Lanka would remain on the agenda and the UNHRC was committed to pursuing justice and accountability in Sri Lanka.

Several veteran Tamil politicians from different parties attended this dialogue. They presented Türk with a range of unresolved issues affecting the Tamil community, reinforcing longstanding demands. The discussion covered “critical issues, including mass graves, the release of political prisoners, military-occupied land, and enforced disappearances,” which are the core concerns Tamil politicians and civil society have voiced in international forums for years. For example, Dharmalingam Siddarthan, a former MP and leader of a Tamil party (PLOTE), urged that the UN Human Rights Chief ensure continued implementation of UNHRC resolutions on Sri Lanka. He highlighted the suffering of the families of the missing and those still imprisoned without justice, pressing Türk to keep pushing these issues. Siddarthan noted that Türk “understood when we talked about the issue of the missing persons and those languishing in prisons”, and while Türk cautioned that many global issues compete for attention, “the Commissioner said that he would make every effort” to advance the Sri Lanka file. Attendees thanked Türk for coming to Jaffna and for directly inspecting conditions such as the Chemmani mass grave site.

Sivagnanam Shritharan, a Jaffna district MP, reiterated to Türk the “lack of progress on accountability” since the war’s end. He pointed to the Chemmani mass grave and ongoing militarized land grabs in Tamil areas (such as at Kurundur Hill and other sites in the north) as evidence that justice has been delayed. “Accountability in Sri Lanka is not presented in an honest and dignified manner,” Shritharan lamented, underscoring that Tamils seek a genuine reckoning and “reparative justice” rather than perfunctory measures. Another participant, MP Sri Bhavanandaraja – a Tamil member of the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) – emphasized the lack of post-war development and justice in the North-East. Sixteen years after the war, Tamils have seen little improvement; he told Türk that the new government is “committed to dealing with this issue and providing a solution” for the Tamil people.

During this Jaffna visit, Tamil political parties also formally handed Türk a joint letter that had been prepared by a coalition of Tamil parties across the ideological spectrum. The letter – signed by representatives of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), Tamil Congress, Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA), and civil society groups – expressed frustration that no significant progress in accountability for wartime atrocities has been achieved in the 16 years since 2009. It warned Türk that “your visit will be used by the Government of Sri Lanka as an exercise in boosting their legitimacy” unless accompanied by concrete pressure for justice. The Tamil parties urged a “sincere and genuine approach” to accountability and reconciliation, fearing the government might leverage the visit to weaken the resolve of the UN to pursue tougher steps. This rare show of unity among diverse Tamil factions underscored to the High Commissioner how deeply the accountability issue resonates in the Tamil polity.

Engagement with Tamil Civil Society and Victims’ Groups

Volker Türk’s itinerary deliberately included opportunities to hear directly from victims’ groups and Tamil civil society in the war-affected regions. On June 25, he traveled to Trincomalee in the Eastern Province, where local Tamil activists and families of victims of enforced disappearance had gathered. As Türk’s convoy arrived, Tamil victims, families of the disappeared, human rights activists, and civil society representatives staged a peaceful demonstration in Trincomalee to bring their grievances to his attention. Protesters held signs and submitted a written statement of urgent demands addressed to the High Commissioner. This statement, handed to Türk on site, identified the signatories as Tamils from the East who have lived through state violence – including survivors of wartime atrocities, relatives of missing persons, victims of sexual violence, and people fighting to reclaim seized lands and livelihoods.

Türk did not ignore the Trincomalee demonstrators. In fact, he stopped and engaged in discussions with the protesters at the site, listening to their concerns. The Eastern activists’ statement “welcomed the High Commissioner” but bluntly condemned the Sri Lankan state’s continued obfuscation and delays in delivering justice for what they described as the “genocide committed against the Tamil people.” They detailed ongoing issues in the East: systematic discrimination and militarisation, surveillance of activists, land grabs and settler colonization aimed at diluting Tamil presence. For instance, they cited the recent encroachment on Tamil farmers’ grazing land in Mayilaththamadu, Batticaloa as an example of state-backed land appropriation. They also noted the government’s active obstruction of international justice efforts – such as denying visas to members of the UN’s Sri Lanka Accountability Project (OSLAP) – calling it “clear evidence” of the state’s unwillingness to cooperate with UN mechanisms.

Crucially, the Eastern Tamil groups presented a list of 11 demands to Türk and the UNHRC, which encapsulate the immediate steps they seek:

- Establish an international criminal justice mechanism to prosecute atrocity crimes (including what they termed genocide). 

- Refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for investigation of mass atrocities. 

- Deploy international forensic experts to investigate mass graves (such as those in Chemmani in Jaffna and Mannar) under international oversight. 

- Halt land grabs and state-sponsored Sinhalisation in traditional Tamil areas; return occupied Tamil lands and prevent demographic engineering. 

- Deliver justice and answers for the families of the disappeared, who have waited years without closure. 

- Repeal draconian laws like the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the newly passed Online Safety Act, which are seen as tools of repression. 

- Create a hybrid mechanism (international–domestic) to protect human rights defenders and witnesses, ensuring activists can operate without fear. 

- Take urgent steps toward a durable political solution to the ethnic conflict – implying meaningful power-sharing or federal autonomy for the North-East.

This comprehensive petition was given directly to Volker Türk in Trincomalee. The High Commissioner’s engagement with the group and receipt of their written appeals was a significant gesture, indicating he heard the Eastern Tamils’ voice.

Later that same day (June 25), Türk traveled north to Jaffna, the heartland of the Tamil community. There he made a highly symbolic stop at the Chemmani mass grave site on Jaffna’s outskirts. Chemmani is a location where, in recent months, excavations had uncovered a mass grave containing the skeletal remains of at least 19 people – including infants – believed to be Tamil victims of extrajudicial killings during the war. At the site, Türk paid tribute by laying flowers at the ongoing “Unextinguished Flame” vigil maintained by families of the disappeared, and he met with grieving relatives keeping watch at the grave pit. This quiet, emotional encounter allowed him to hear first-hand from Tamil mothers and fathers who have waited decades for any news of their missing loved ones.

Speaking at the edge of the Chemmani grave, Volker Türk reflected on the weight of Sri Lanka’s past. “It is always very emotional to visit places where the haunting past becomes so visible,” he said somberly, acknowledging the pain on the faces of the families present. He then delivered a clear message about what must happen next: “When you are at a mass grave site, the one thing that needs to be done is thorough investigations, robust investigations, by independent experts with forensic expertise,” Türk stressed, “who can bring out the truth and bring closure to the pain and suffering of family members whose loved ones were disappeared.”. This call for independent forensic investigation of mass graves – essentially an appeal for international expertise to be allowed in – was exactly what Tamil victims’ groups have been demanding. By echoing it, the High Commissioner gave validation to their calls for truth.

Türk also remarked on meeting the families at the vigil. He noted that whether the relatives of the disappeared are Tamil, Sinhalese, or Muslim, “their tears are the same,” highlighting a shared human suffering across ethnic lines. In Jaffna, he heard from many mothers still searching for children or husbands, including a woman who described searching town-to-town since her spouse vanished in 1989. Türk said he was encouraged that there is now some growing space for memorialization of victims – as evidenced by the public vigil in Jaffna – but he cautioned that “the same old patterns of surveillance” of human rights defenders persist despite changes. Indeed, local activists informed him that even as they remember their dead, they often face intimidation by state security agencies.

Overall, meeting survivors and victims in both Trincomalee and Jaffna seemed to leave a deep impression on Volker Türk. He described the Chemmani mass grave visit as a “compelling reminder that the past haunts the lives of many in Sri Lanka.” He acknowledged that thousands of families – Tamil, Sinhalese, and Muslim – still await answers about the fate of disappeared loved ones, decades later. This direct exposure to victims’ grief reinforced the message that without truth and justice, Sri Lanka cannot fully heal.

Advocacy, Protests, and Public Appeals During the Visit

Tamil civil society and victims’ groups not only met Türk but also mobilized public demonstrations and advocacy around his visit. In the Jaffna peninsula, local organisations coordinated several protests and public displays to coincide with the UN official’s presence. As Türk visited Jaffna on June 25, demonstrators lined Kovil Road with powerful visual installations to demand justice. The protest in Jaffna featured poignant artwork drawn by children of the disappeared – portraits of missing Tamil men, women and children – alongside banners and symbols representing the community’s long-held calls for accountability. These displays, including references to sites like Chemmani, were aimed at catching Türk’s attention as he traveled to the mass grave and later met families at the vigil.

One of the organisers, Jatson, co-coordinator of the North-East Coordinating Committee, spoke to media amid the demonstration. He voiced the hopes of many Tamils that Türk’s visit would mark a turning point: “We hope that the visit of this dignitary will mark a step toward justice,” Jatson said. He appealed for concrete outcomes – “Let his presence bring forth a resolution to land appropriation, justice for the mass graves discovered across our Northeast, and a long-overdue answer to the cries of mothers whose loved ones were forcibly disappeared.” Standing by a row of placards, he also implored that Türk’s visit “signify an end to the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which continues to cast a shadow over our nation, and deliver a message of hope to those who live with the invisible wounds of war.” Finally, he tied the community’s plea to a political solution, saying “We await with hope the promise of a federal system of governance that will uphold the collective rights of the Tamil people in the North and East.” Each of these points – ending land grabs, uncovering truth of mass graves, answers for the disappeared, abolishing PTA, and securing Tamil political rights through federalism – encapsulates fundamental Tamil demands in the post-war era. By articulating them during a high-profile UN visit, protesters sought to amplify their cause internationally.

In an act of solidarity, students at the University of Jaffna also unfurled banners on campus condemning the “Tamil genocide” and highlighting human rights violations, timed with Türk’s local meetings. Throughout that week, multiple protests were held across the North-East. Tamil activists intensified calls for international accountability mechanisms – including independent forensic oversight of exhumations, recognition of the genocide, and meaningful political devolution of power. The Jaffna protest was just one of several expressions of grassroots advocacy synced to the UN visit.

Importantly, these demonstrations were led by victims’ families and civil activists and were pointedly independent of political parties. In fact, tensions surfaced when politicians attempted to join. In Jaffna’s Chemmani area, a group of families of the disappeared had been holding a continuous protest demanding justice for the mass grave. This protest reached its third consecutive day on June 26, maintaining pressure during Türk’s northern tour. Local media reported that when various politicians arrived at the Chemmani protest site, they were unwelcome and “faced strong opposition from the crowd.” Demonstrators felt the event should remain non-partisan and focused on victims. They even drove away individuals such as C.V.K. Sivagnanam (a Tamil political leader from ITAK/TNA), MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam (who had earlier met Türk), NPP MP Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy, and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar, preventing them from co-opting the protest. The families clearly wanted their own voices heard by Türk, without political mediation. The protest in Jaffna, taking place “amidst the UN rights chief’s visit,” underscored that Tamil victims seek direct international support for their cause and are skeptical of local politicians’ effectiveness.

Meanwhile, additional public appeals were made in writing. We have already noted the joint letter by Tamil parties and the Eastern Tamils’ petition. Furthermore, major human rights NGOs (Amnesty, HRW, ICJ, etc.) in their open letter not only urged Türk to meet Tamil survivors but also laid out a checklist of actions for him. They asked that he publicly call on Sri Lanka’s government to allow OSLAP investigators into the country and to ensure UNHRC oversight continues】. They also suggested he endorse the efforts of victims and activists seeking justice, press for an immediate moratorium on the PTA’s use and its repeal, and visit emblematic sites like Mullivaikkal and Chemmani to signal international commitment. Similarly, the North-East civil society collective’s letter (65 groups) echoed many of the same points in a local context. They urged Türk to inspect lands seized from Tamils, push for international observation of the 21+ mass graves identified nationwide, apply diplomatic pressure to get Sri Lanka to cooperate with investigations, advocate for a hybrid protection mechanism for activists, return of military-occupied lands, and even to encourage Sri Lanka’s referral to the International Criminal Court for war crimes. In essence, the Tamil community and human rights advocates used the occasion of Türk’s visit to spotlight their unresolved grievances and to demand stronger international action. Through protests, letters, and vigils, they delivered a consistent message: domestic efforts have failed them, so they seek international justice and intervention.

Volker Türk’s Statements and Commitments on Tamil Issues

During and after his mission, High Commissioner Volker Türk made several statements addressing the issues raised by Tamils and outlining his stance on accountability, justice, and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. In Colombo on June 24, at a public panel discussion, Türk warned Sri Lankan leaders not to fall into what he termed the “impunity trap.” He noted that many post-conflict countries have managed genuine reconciliation by focusing on victims’ rights and truth-telling, but if perpetrators of the most severe crimes are not held to account, societies risk a cycle of recurring violence. “It is vital to hold to account the perpetrators of the most severe crimes – vital for justice, vital for deterrence, vital for the victims... vital for the future,” Türk emphasized in that address. He drew on his own Austrian heritage, recalling how Austria took decades to acknowledge its role in Nazi atrocities, to illustrate the necessity of confronting painful truths rather than denying them. “An absence of justice will undermine the stability of peace,” Türk cautioned, “Conversely, acknowledging the truth creates the space for justice and reparations – and ultimately, healing.” In remarks clearly applicable to Sri Lanka, he said that commissions or inquiries that “lead nowhere” or whose recommendations are ignored only compound the trauma for victims. This was an unmistakable reference to Sri Lanka’s many unimplemented proposals and stalled investigations. Accountability and full acknowledgment of the truth, Türk concluded, are essential prerequisites for lasting reconciliation and sustainable peace.

Throughout his visit, Türk reiterated that theme – that justice for past abuses is not merely about history but a foundation for future peace and equality. He also addressed Sri Lanka’s second trap: “the inequality trap,” linking unchecked human rights violations to social and economic disparities that fuel conflict. But on Tamil-specific issues of accountability, his stance was clear and consistent.

At the end of his three-day mission on June 26, Volker Türk gave a press briefing in Colombo summarizing his observations and commitments. He struck a noticeably empathetic tone toward victims and a balanced but firm tone toward the government. Türk said he “heard heartbreaking testimonies of survivors and victims” during the visit, which helped him better understand the challenges ahead. He directly acknowledged the “legacy of the past” as *“a daunting challenge for the new government.”* Encouragingly, he noted Sri Lanka’s President in recent months had publicly recognized the “shared pain and grief” of individuals from all communities, Tamil and otherwise – something to *“build on”* with tangible results.

Crucially, Türk highlighted the need to finally uncover the truth of what happened to missing loved ones. “It is important to translate [acknowledgement] into tangible results so that the truth of what happened to loved ones is unearthed,” he said, “Acknowledgement and truth-telling are important steps towards healing and closure, as are justice, reparation and non-recurrence.” This amounted to a call for Sri Lanka to implement genuine transitional justice measures – truth, justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-repetition – in consultation with victims’ families. He observed that Sri Lanka has “struggled to move forward” with domestic accountability mechanisms that victims trust. “This is why Sri Lankans have looked outside for justice,” Türk remarked, candidly validating the turn to international avenues. Ultimately, “it is the State’s responsibility” to deliver justice, he said, but international support can complement and “support future accountability efforts”. He pointed out that his own Office (OHCHR) has been mandated by the UNHRC to gather and preserve evidence of human rights violations (through OSLAP) and he expressed hope that this would aid both domestic and international prosecution efforts down the line.

In terms of concrete commitments, Türk advocated several reforms in line with Tamil victims’ demands. He explicitly called for the full repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) – a law under which many Tamils have been detained without charge – and urged an immediate moratorium on its use until repeal is done. He also pressed for expedited review and release of long-term PTA detainees and prisoners, recognizing the injustice of their prolonged incarceration without due process. Furthermore, Türk addressed the sensitive issue of land rights that Tamils raised: he “stressed the importance of releasing lands still occupied and used economically by the military” in the North and East, and of resolving land disputes involving archaeological or religious claims in consultation with local communities. This was a direct reference to the military’s hold on civilian lands and the contentious takeover of Tamil areas for Buddhist shrines or government forest reserves – issues communities like those in Mullaitivu and Batticaloa have protested. It’s notable that he also mentioned facilitating the return of displaced Muslim residents to their lands in the North, demonstrating an inclusive approach to post-war reconciliation.

Türk additionally reiterated his alarm about ongoing human rights concerns that affect Tamils and others: the continuing reports of torture and sexual violence (frequently associated with conflict-era abuses), and the chilling effect of laws like the Online Safety Act and misuse of the ICCPR Act to stifle speech. He commended some positive steps (like a bill to decriminalize same-sex relationships and increased women’s representation in Parliament) while noting much more needs to be done on gender equality and minority rights.

Finally, reflecting on the ethno-political dimension, Volker Türk struck an optimistic yet challenging note. He said he sensed a “real momentum of change” during his visit and a desire among both government and civil society to move beyond entrenched identity politics of ethnicity, religion, language, and caste. He urged “quick wins and confidence-building measures” to build trust and advance national unity, pledging that the UN human rights office stands ready to assist. “Sri Lanka is at a key moment,” he observed; it has the opportunity to “turn its back on violence, and build a new path towards respect, inclusive prosperity, and peace”, serving as an example to a world fraught with conflict. His concluding wish was that Sri Lanka “become a story of hope” – a country that finally addresses the root causes of its civil war and emerges as a model of peaceful coexistence.

In summary, Volker Türk’s June 2025 visit to Sri Lanka strongly centered on the issues most important to the Tamil community. He met directly with Tamil political leaders and listened to their appeals for UN engagement on accountability. He witnessed the grief of Tamil victims’ families at a mass grave and at vigils, and he publicly echoed their calls for truth and justice through independent investigations. Tamil civil society’s advocacy and protests during the visit underscored the urgency of these issues, and Türk responded by validating many of their concerns – from mass grave investigations and missing persons to land returns and PTA repeal. While thanking the Sri Lankan government for its cooperation, he did not shy away from highlighting its failures and the need for profound changes. The High Commissioner’s statements during and after the trip indicate a commitment to keep Sri Lanka, and specifically the rights of Tamil victims, in focus on the international stage. As he assured the Tamil MPs in Jaffna, Sri Lanka’s accountability process *“will not be sidelined”* – the UN will continue to monitor and press for concrete progress. For Tamil families who have fought for justice for years, Türk’s visit, coupled with the advocacy around it, offered a moment of recognition and a renewed hope that their calls for accountability might yet be answered by the global community.

By following these steps, the path forward aims to break the silence and end the cycle of impunity. The article concludes that only through truth-telling and accountability can Sri Lanka move toward a future where all its communities live with dignity and security. Achieving justice for past atrocities is not just about righting historical wrongs – it is presented as a necessity to ensure lasting peace and to prevent such horrors from happening again.

     In solidarity,

     Wimal Navaratnam

     Human Rights Advocate | ABC Tamil Oli (ECOSOC)