Sinhala Majoritarianism and the Eelam Tamil Struggle for Self-Determination Exclusive Report:  Prepared by: Wimal Navaratnam Date: September 02, 2025 Disclaimer This report reflects the author’s analysis of publicly available information and scholarly sources. The perspectives and interpretations herein do not necessarily represent the views of any institution or government. All efforts have been made to verify the credibility of the source; however, readers are encouraged to consult the primary documents for further validation. 1. Introduction Since Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948, successive governments have maintained a unitary state structure that systematically denies the Tamil minority recognition as a distinct nation and thwarts their right to self-determination (Singh, 2018). The recent visit by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to Jaffna on September 1, 2025, exemplifies this enduring pattern. Although cloaked in development rhetoric—such as inaugu...

  Analysis of UNHRC Advanced Edition Report on Sri Lanka (A/HRC/60/21, 28 August 2025) Introduction In reviewing the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ’ advanced edition report on Sri Lanka, I focus on the Tamil community’s key justice demands and the gap between official promises and on-the-ground reality. The report outlines seven critical areas—accountability for past violations; constitutional reform and devolution; land restitution; reparations and memorialization; civic space and civil society action; repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act; and economic equality. For each, I compare the report’s documented progress—such as inaugural acknowledgments of past harms, select legal reforms and infrastructure investments—with the persistent barriers that continue to undermine trust, including enduring impunity, legislative delays, renewed land disputes and limitations on civic freedoms. This dual perspective highlights where genuine momentum exists and where intensifi...

Unburying the Past:  Editor's Note Throughout the reporting period, editorial decisions for this document have been made in accordance with international best practices for sensitive, survivor-centered reporting on mass grave discoveries and ongoing investigations. Recognizing Chemmani’s status as both a site of lived trauma and active inquiry into gross human rights violations, this report consciously avoids sensationalism, prioritizing accuracy, legal and forensic specificity, and empathy toward victims’ families. The assembling of this report involved special care to: ·        Include diverse perspectives: By integrating government, international, civil society, family, and survivor accounts; ·        Respect survivor and witness confidentiality: Avoiding identification or quoting of sources unless explicitly cleared; ·        Uphold journalistic and human rights reporting ethics: Following...