Sri Lanka must turn the promise of peace into reality

A Government committed to democracy and good governance should welcome independent civil society, including organisations that scrutinise Government policy, expose abuses and advocate for citizens’ rights. Regulation and financial accountability are legitimate objectives, but they must not become instruments for restricting criticism or controlling independent organisations

By National Peace Council

International Day of Peace 2026 is being observed under the theme “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.” This is an occasion for us in Sri Lanka to reflect on the fact that investing in peace must include confronting the unfinished business of the past, protecting civic freedoms, reforming laws that facilitate abuse, ensuring accountability and building genuine equality among all communities. The National Peace Council acknowledges that Sri Lanka has made significant progress in its progress to peace. The 2026 Global Peace Index has shown Sri Lanka moving from 97th to 67th among 163 countries. It recorded the largest percentage improvement in South Asia, even as global peacefulness continued to decline. Sri Lanka’s challenge is to convert greater stability into a deeper peace based on human rights, equality, justice, accountability and reconciliation.

Positive steps

The latest report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recognises positive steps, including action against corruption, but also identifies continuing concerns over arbitrary arrests and detention, the Prevention of Terrorism Act, torture and deaths in custody, surveillance and intimidation of civil society, journalists and activists, and the failure to resolve serious human rights cases. The Government’s failure to deliver tangible progress on accountability for enforced disappearances and other grave violations is particularly troubling. NPC calls on the Government to resource forensic and prosecutorial capacity and report publicly on progress in missing-persons cases and mass-grave investigations.

 There remains a serious gap between the Government’s commitments and its performance. The failure to address the grazing land issues of Batticaloa (Mylathamadu-Mathavanai) is a serious violation despite many orders of various courts and directions from the present and past President. NPC calls on the Government to intervene and resolve this issue immediately if it is to be seen as equitable to all communities.

Civic space 

The Government’s approach to civic space is also increasingly concerning. The proposed new NGO law, currently under discussion, contains sweeping provisions for State oversight and control of civil society organisations. Civil society organisations have raised concerns that the legislation could give the authorities excessive discretion over registration and operations. Past experience shows how  state officials have violated many principles of democracy and more power may actually promote such in the future too as a human tendency is to abuse power unless it is checked and balanced. A Government committed to democracy and good governance should welcome independent civil society, including organisations that scrutinise Government policy, expose abuses and advocate for citizens’ rights. Regulation and financial accountability are legitimate objectives, but they must not become instruments for restricting criticism or controlling independent organisations.

 Peace cannot be sustained if the State uses war time and restrictive laws against its own citizens or leaves victims waiting decades for truth and justice. Families have waited for decades for the truth about what happened to their loved ones. Institutions and commissions cannot substitute indefinitely for effective investigations, prosecutions and reparations. Peace also cannot be sustained if it curtails the independent civil society organisations that support reconciliation at the grassroots. Sri Lanka has moved forward, but the Government must do much more to ensure that this progress is consolidated. A higher position in a global peace index is encouraging. It is not a certificate of absolute success. Lasting peace will depend on whether the Government is prepared to protect the rights, freedoms and dignity of all its citizens across the geographic and ethnic boundaries and match its commitments with action.