The Sri Lankan civil war:

The conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has lasted nearly three decades and is one of the longest-running civil wars in Asia. More commonly known as the Tamil Tigers, the LTTE wants an independent state for the island’s Tamil minority. Following a fierce, year-long military offensive killing over 100,000 civilians and 50,000 fighters from both sides of the conflict. The “Tamil Centre for Human Rights” recorded that from 1983 to 2004, 47,556 Tamil civilians were killed, 25,266 dissapeared, 61,132 were injured and in total 2,390,809 peope were displaced.[22] During the final months (January 2009 – April 2009) of the war an estimated amount of 10,000 to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed[23]. On May 18, 2009, the Sri Lankan government declared an end to a 26-year-long armed conflict after committing mass atrocities, including allegations of genocide. A cursory review of the evidence indicates the Sri Lankan government’s intent to destroy the Tamil people, a protected ethnic and national group. The government had a clear and effective strategy of encouraging Tamil civilians in the Vanni region to relocate to the “No Fire Zones” that were then deliberately shelled by the military.[24]The atrocities are well-documented, and the military’s intentional shelling of government-designated “No Fire Zones” (NFZs) alone was primarily responsible for killing 70,000–140,000 Tamil civilians, maiming another 25,000–30,000, and displacing at least 300,000.[25]

It also purposefully understated the number of Tamil civilians in the Vanni to limit necessary food and medical supplies going into that area and to facilitate the deaths of survivors. Hundreds of Tamil women and girls were raped and sexually mutilated before their execution. Tamil men and women who were detained after crossing into government-controlled areas are still subjected to sexual violence today.[26] The continued marginalisation of the Tamil community ensures that a return to violent conflict (at some point down the road) cannot be discounted.[27]

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, along with his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was named prime minister in 2019, were implicated in numerous human rights violations during their previous years in power from 2005 to 2015, which included a crackdown on journalists and activists. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who then served as defense secretary, was also implicated in war crimes. The in 2019 appointed defense secretary, Gen. Kamal Gunaratne and the current army chief Gen. Shavendra Silva are implicated in alleged war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan army, which they commanded.[28]

Other Violations:

Sri Lanka has not revoked sections 365 and 365A of the penal code, which criminalize consensual same-sex conduct. Some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people—particularly those who are visibly gender non-conforming—face arbitrary arrest, police mistreatment, and discrimination in accessing health care, employment, and housing.

Despite pledges, the government failed to repeal and replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a draconian law widely condemned for including an overly broad definition of terrorism and lengthy administrative detention provisions that have facilitated due process violations, including the use of torture, to obtain confessions.