Sri Lanka Accuses Human Rights Watch of ‘Sensationalised and Biased’ Reporting

Sri Lanka Accuses Human Rights Watch of ‘Sensationalised and Biased’ Reporting
Photo: Shutterstock/NGO Monitor, 2021. 

24-01-2022 

Judit Kolbe 

Sri Lanka and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence 

On the 22nd of January 2022, the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka issued a public statement responding to the recently published Human Rights Watch (HRW) World Report 2022 (HRW, 2022; Colombo Gazette, 2022). The Ministry claimed that the Sri Lanka section of the HRW Report portrayed an ‘exaggerated and unduly negative picture’ of the countries’ current human rights situation (Colombo Gazette, 2022). According to the Foreign Ministry, Sri Lanka engages positively with the international community, including NGOs like HRW, on human rights issues and recognizes their position as ‘human rights defenders’ (The Island, 2022). ‘However, sensationalised and biased reporting during a particularly challenging global economic and social environment risks igniting and aggravating domestic discord. We highlight the importance of responsible, balanced and impartial reporting,’ stated the FOreign Ministry (Colombo Gazette, 2022; The Island, 2022). 

At the opening of the 9th Session of the Parliament, on the 18th of January 2022, Sri Lanka’s President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, reiterated the countries’ commitment to promote and protect human rights, conforming to Sri Lanka’s Constitution and international obligations, which has been assured by the Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris in September 2021 at the United Nations Human Rights Council. (Colombo Gazette, 2022; The Island, 2022). 

Sources and further reading:

Colombo Gazette (2022, January 22). Sri Lanka regrets “sensationalized and biased” report by Human Rights Watch. Colombo Gazette. https://colombogazette.com/2022/01/22/sri-lanka-regrets-sensationalized-and-biased-report-by-human-rights-watch/

Human Rights Watch (HRW) (2022). World Report 2022: Sri Lanka. HRW. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2022/country-chapters/sri-lanka 

The Island (2022, January 24). Govt. hits back at HRW comment. The Island. https://island.lk/govt-hits-back-at-hrw-comment/