Sri Lanka: Country Report July 2020 (COI between 1 January 2020 and 19 May 2020) © Asylum Research Centre (ARC), June 2020 ARC publications are covered by the Create Commons License allowing for limited use of ARC publications provided the work is properly credited to ARC and it is for non-commercial use. ARC does not hold the copyright to the content of third party material included in this report. Reproduction or any use of the images/maps/infographics included in this report is prohibited and permission must be sought directly from the copyright holder(s). Feedback and comments Please help us to improve and to measure the impact of our publications. We’d be extremely grateful for any comments and feedback as to how the reports have been used in refugee status determination processes, or beyond. Thank you. https://asylumresearchcentre.org/feedback/ Please direct any questions to [email protected] Cover photo: © Warunee Singlee/shutterstock.com 2 Contents EXPLANATORY NOTE ..........................................................................................................................6 SOURCES AND DATABASES CONSULTED .............................................................................................8 LIST OF ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................................... 13 I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION .................................................................................................. 16 A. GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 16 I. MAP OF SRI LANKA .......................................................................................................................... 16 II. ETHNIC COMPOSITION ...................................................................................................................... 16 B. BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................... 17 I. CIVIL WAR (1983-2009) ................................................................................................................. 17 II. DEFEAT OF LTTE IN 2009 ................................................................................................................. 22 III. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS SINCE 2009 TILL 2018 ................................................................................ 24 IV. LESSONS LEARNT AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION (MAY 2010 – NOVEMBER 2011) ............................ 26 C. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CRIMES UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW DURING CIVIL WAR ...................................... 27 I. PROSECUTIONS FOR CONFLICT-ERA CRIMES FROM JANUARY 2019 TO PRESENT (MAY 2020)...................... 27 II. ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION AND IMPUNITY FOR CONFLICT-ERA CRIMES ............................................... 36 III. OFFICE OF MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATIONS FROM MAY 2016 TO PRESENT (MAY 2020) ....................... 44 II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS SINCE 2018 ..................................................................................... 50 A. MAJOR POLITICAL ACTORS .......................................................................................................... 50 I. MAITHRIPALA SIRISENA .................................................................................................................... 50 II. GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA ..................................................................................................................... 52 III. MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA ...................................................................................................................... 55 IV. MAJOR GENERAL SHAVENDRA SILVA .................................................................................................. 56 B. 2018 CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS ..................................................................................................... 58 C. 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ..................................................................................................... 61 D. 2020 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ................................................................................................ 65 E. EXECUTIVE INTERFERENCE AND POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS .................................................................. 67 III. SECURITY SITUATION ............................................................................................................ 73 A. SECURITY SITUATION BETWEEN JANUARY 2019 AND MAY 2020 .......................................................... 73 I. EASTER BOMBINGS (APRIL 2019) ....................................................................................................... 78 B. EXTREMIST GROUPS / CRIMINAL GANGS/ NATIONALIST GROUPS .......................................................... 85 IV. RULE OF LAW/ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE ......................................................................... 97 A. ACCESS TO JUSTICE .................................................................................................................... 97 3 I. LEGAL REPRESENTATION ................................................................................................................... 97 II. CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ACCESS TO A FAIR TRIAL ....................................................................... 99 III. DUE PROCESS ............................................................................................................................... 102 IV. DEATH PENALTY ............................................................................................................................ 103 B. CORRUPTION ......................................................................................................................... 104 C. IMPUNITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR POST-CIVIL WAR STATE PERPETRATED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES ........... 108 V. HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION .................................................................................................... 110 A. RELEVANT LEGAL FRAMEWORKS ................................................................................................. 110 I. PREVENTION OF TERRORISM ACT (PTA) ............................................................................................ 110 II. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA (HRCSL) ........................................................................ 114 B. STATE SURVEILLANCE/MONITORING ............................................................................................ 116 C. FORCIBLE DISAPPEARANCES ....................................................................................................... 123 D. ARBITRARY ARRESTS AND DETENTION .......................................................................................... 130 I. PRISON CONDITIONS ...................................................................................................................... 130 II. TREATMENT IN DETENTION ............................................................................................................. 135 III. DETENTION WITHOUT CHARGES AND PRETRIAL DETENTION .................................................................. 143 E. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ASSOCIATION AND ASSEMBLY ................................................................. 150 I. SITUATION OF JOURNALISTS/MEDIA WORKERS/BLOGGERS/CITIZEN JOURNALISTS .................................... 150 II. TREATMENT OF POLITICAL OPPOSITION ............................................................................................. 163 III. TREATMENT OF THOSE PERCEIVED TO OPPOSE THE GOVERNMENT [WITHOUT POLITICAL AFFILIATION] .......... 167 IV. TREATMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS ....................................................................................... 177 F. SITUATION OF WOMEN ............................................................................................................ 189 I. SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (SGBV) ................................................................................. 189 II. STATE RESPONSE TO SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (SGBV)...................................................... 194 III. SITUATION OF FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS ..................................................................................... 203 G. SITUATION OF CHILDREN ........................................................................................................... 206 I. OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................... 206 II. ACCESS TO EDUCATION ................................................................................................................... 207 III. USE OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT ...................................................................................................... 209 IV. CHILD LABOUR .............................................................................................................................. 210 V. FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION / CUTTING ......................................................................................... 211 VI. CHILD MARRIAGE AND CHILD RAPE .................................................................................................... 212 VII. USE OF CHILD SOLDIERS .............................................................................................................. 214 VIII. CHILD PROTECTION