Sri Lankan Civil Society Calls on UN to Investigate LTTE Atrocities

In a protest demonstration titled “Flowers Wreaths Protest,” Sri Lankan civil society group Rata Wenuwen Api held a peaceful protest outside the United Nations office in Colombo on July 19, urging the UN to investigate war crimes and human rights violations committed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the country’s decades-long civil war.

The event featured flower wreaths adorned with posters listing the LTTE’s major attacks and victims across all ethnicities—Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim. Members of the public joined the display, standing in solidarity with survivors and families of victims.

Group president, Ven. Derangala Paduma Thero and secretary, Abeetha Edirisinghe submitted a formal letter to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. The appeal requested the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the LTTE’s documented atrocities. Copies were also sent to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor.

The letter highlights LTTE crimes including civilian massacres, use of child soldiers, and suicide bombings—actions considered violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. The LTTE, a banned terrorist organisation in over 34 countries, was the first group to assassinate two world leaders: Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa.

The group urged the UN to adopt a balanced approach, not focusing blame solely on the Sri Lankan military but also acknowledging the LTTE’s well-documented role in the conflict.

Their demands include a UN-led investigation, mechanisms for victim documentation, prosecution of responsible individuals, and preventative measures to avoid the resurgence of extremist ideologies.

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