14th February 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka: There is now a growing consensus that victims must be at the heart of any transitional justice process. Since 2015 and the government’s promise to introduce transitional justice mechanisms in Sri Lanka, these terms have been used by varied stakeholders. The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has consistently called for a victim-centered approach in Sri Lanka and is not alone in this regard. The tenets of such an approach, however, require further elaboration. International instruments provide guidance as to the legal framework, but the nature of victimhood and its practical implications are subject to contestation and vary from context to context.
The present report seeks to provide some clarification within the Sri Lankan context, exploring both the genealogy of victim-centered transitional justice and models for implementation. CPA believes this to be an important conversation in the context of the government’s promises to introduce new mechanisms and initiatives to address past abuses.
Download the report here.
