UN Rights Chief Warns Sri Lanka against “Impunity Trap”
- CNL Reporter
- June 27, 2025
- Political
- Impunity Trap
- 0 Comments
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has urged Sri Lanka to confront its past and deliver justice for victims of serious human rights violations. Speaking in Colombo on Tuesday (24 June) during his four-day visit to the island, Türk warned the country not to fall into what he described as the “impunity trap.”
Addressing government officials, civil society members, and victims’ families, Türk emphasized that accountability for past atrocities is vital not only for victims but also for Sri Lanka’s long-term peace and development.
“Sri Lanka today is threatened by two traps: the impunity trap and the inequality trap,” he said. “Holding perpetrators of the most severe crimes accountable is essential—for justice, for deterrence, and most importantly, for the victims who have suffered unimaginable pain.”
He warned that failure to acknowledge atrocities and ensure justice would erode public trust, deepen societal wounds, and compromise the country’s future. Referring to his own Austrian heritage, Türk recalled how Austria only came to terms with its Nazi past decades later, underscoring the importance of truth and justice in national healing.
