Former Sri Lankan president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, reiterated in a recent interview his opposition to Sri Lanka being taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), reported the Jaffna daily Maalaikathir last Friday. He accused Western nations of double standards and criticised the UN, asserting that without Sri Lanka’s contributions to World War II the modern human rights framework would not exist.
Wickremesinghe emphasised his consistent opposition to Sri Lanka being referred to the ICJ, instead, he endorsed justice for Tamil victims through domestic mechanisms. Having failed to fully implement the 13th Amendment during his presidency, he called for greater power and responsibility to be given to Provincial Councils. He insisted that perpetrators, regardless of who they are, should be held accountable and that previous promises to the UN should be fulfilled.
His comments come amid continued calls by Tamil victims and international pressure for independent investigations into war crimes. Wickremesinghe's comments reflect the position of successive Sri Lankan governments, including his own, which have resisted international accountability and pushed for domestic mechanisms, despite failure to deliver meaningful justice and reform.
As the current Sri Lankan government continues to reject international mechanisms, Wickremesinghe criticised perceived double standards in international approaches to Ukraine. He argued that Western nations have acted favourably towards Ukraine and allowed Ukraine autonomy in decision making, while Sri Lanka has not been afforded the same. Commenting on the recent meeting between American President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky, Wickremesinghe said “If they can go after President Trump, what chance do we have”, remarking that if the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) wanted to adopt double standards, it should not be in a way that harms Sri Lanka . The former president’s rhetoric reflects the long-standing stance of Sri Lankan governments in deflecting international scrutiny.
Wickremesinghe went on to criticise the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), saying that while former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay disagreed with them, Sri Lanka could at least engage in dialogue. Wickremesinghe levelled criticism at the current OHCHR for ‘shouting’ at Sri Lanka and said they could continue if the Asia branch of the OHCHR were investigated. “They need to realise that they are there because of us”, he asserted.
Then, in a remarkable elaboration, the former president claimed to have liberated Europe, saying “we liberated Europe” and that Sri Lankans, alongside Indians and Africans, had fought in World War II. “If we hadn’t fought and defeated Hitler, you would not have been able to create a human rights charter” he explained.
