Justice for most of Lanka civil war victims remains elusive: US lawmaker

A US lawmaker has said that the justice for most of the victims of the brutal civil war in Sri Lanka remains elusive and accused President Maithripala Sirisena of doing little to mend ties between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils.

Although many observers hoped that the reformist government of President Sirisena would increase access to justice, focus on human rights, emphasise transparency and accountability, and improve the rule of law, his administration has been criticized for having an inadequate response, Congressman Chris Smith said.

"To this day, justice for many of the victims remains elusive," Republican Smith said in remarks to hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organisations, which he chaired, titled "Human Rights Concerns in Sri Lanka"
In his testimony, Michael Jerryson, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the Youngstown State University said that this particularly virulent strand of nationalism preaches exclusion of other ethnic and religious minorities, with Buddhist fundamentalists in groups such as the BBS saying "This is not a multi-religious country. This is a Sinhalese country."