Diaspora Participation in the Transitional Justice Process
Featured image courtesy Tamil Guardian
‘I gave my statement not only for what I hoped to achieve, but on behalf of the hundreds of people at home who could not raise these issues … I wanted the truth to be known to the UN and the powerful international community so that the coming generation of Tamils can live like any other community, with peace of mind, dignity and a feeling of belonging.’
In 2012, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) – a non-profit law and social justice organisation based in Australia – began taking witness statements and gathering other evidence of violations of international law and international human rights law allegedly committed by both sides in the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war.
With many victims and witnesses forced to seek asylum overseas, PIAC focused on taking statements from those outside Sri Lanka, particularly in Australia.
Now, as Sri Lanka begins the process of comprehensively dealing with the past and moving towards reconciliation, these same victims and witnesses must be part of the equation. Their participation in, and engagement with, the transitional justice process will be key to achieving a lasting peace in Sri Lanka.
Diaspora participation in the consultation process
Sri Lanka’s Consultation Task Force on Reconciliation Measures was formed in January 2016 for the purpose of ascertaining the views of all stakeholders, and particularly victims, on the processes and mechanisms for reconciliation in Sri Lanka.
Upon its appointment, the Task Force reiterated ‘the importance of broad-based island-wide consultations as a critical step in the transitional justice process, to ensure public legitimacy, ownership and participation, particularly to give voice to victims from all communities.’
However, a significant number of victims and witnesses of crimes allegedly committed during the civil war no longer live in Sri Lanka, either on a temporary or permanent basis.
Despite their distance, those who now reside beyond Sri Lanka’s shores have a critical stake in the country’s transitional justice process.
