(SriLanka Brief/26 October 2025) — The British Tamils Forum (BTF) has issued a strongly worded appeal to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Volker Türk, expressing deep concern over the recently adopted UNHRC Resolution A/HRC/60/L.1/Rev.1, which addresses reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka.
In the letter, the BTF warns that the resolution risks perpetuating the cycle of violence and failing to deliver genuine justice for the Tamil people. The Forum argues that limiting the scope of the ethnic conflict to war crimes and crimes against humanity, while ignoring elements of genocide, does not address the root causes of the decades-long conflict between the Sinhala and Tamil communities.
The BTF highlights significant issues with the evidence-gathering process, noting that more than 95% of materials and interviews collected for the OSLAP mechanism remain inaccessible to Sri Lankan authorities. The Forum questions the credibility of any domestic judicial process that lacks access to this critical evidence, warning that such omissions could undermine efforts to prevent the recurrence of violence and genocidal patterns.
The letter also criticizes the reliance on domestic mechanisms, which, according to the BTF, lack independence and credibility. Despite the compilation of over 120,000 documents indicating systematic violations of international law, the Forum contends that the UNHRC’s approach may inadvertently legitimize ongoing patterns of structural genocide, including state-sponsored land grabs, demographic changes, and destruction of Tamil cultural heritage.
Victim protection and confidentiality are also central concerns. The BTF points out that many Tamil victims provided testimony under assurances of confidentiality, and entrusting these materials to Sri Lankan authorities without credible safeguards could expose victims to reprisals and erode trust in the justice process.
The Forum calls attention to the lack of progress on constitutional and institutional reforms recommended by the OHCHR in its 2024 report, and criticizes the Sri Lankan government for prioritizing political and corruption-related agendas over human rights and accountability.
As a way forward, the BTF urges the UNHRC to consider transferring prosecutorial authority to an independent international mechanism, or referring Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court or International Court of Justice. The Forum emphasizes the need for a time-bound action plan to ensure repatriation, resettlement, and reconstruction in the war-torn North-East, alongside the establishment of an international judicial mechanism.
The letter concludes with a call for robust international oversight and timely accountability, warning that continued delay will deepen impunity and erode trust in the UN’s ability to deliver justice for the Tamil people.