Meenakshi Ganguly

Deputy Asia Director Human Rights Watch

Q: In your assessment, what are the most critical issues facing our country in terms of governance?

A: While the conflict ended in 2009 in military defeat, the government impeded every effort towards an investigation into alleged war crimes by security forces or revealing what happened to tens of thousands who were forcibly ‘disappeared.’

Some alleged perpetrators have instead been rewarded with senior roles. This lack of accountability has seeped into all forms of governance. Rampant greed, corruption and incompetence at the highest levels decimated public revenues, and led to a severe economic crisis.

Independent investigations have repeatedly been stalled if they led to identifying politicians and security personnel who were involved in rights abuses. The government should take steps to end political inference in the justice system.

Creating an independent prosecutor instead of giving this responsibility to the attorney general, who is also a member of the government, would be a big step forward in ensuring accountable governance, as would reversing and bringing transparency to tax exemptions that benefit the wealthiest.

Q: How can Sri Lanka improve transparency and accountability in state institutions – and who is responsible for ensuring that we do so, in your view?

A: The rot at the top has undermined institutions. When political leaders become authoritarian, they bend the system to protect their misdeeds and corruption.

It takes political will to protect and strengthen the independence of institutions, to provide the necessary checks and balances. The recent Anti-Corruption Act for instance, looks good on paper; but to make a difference, it needs to be well implemented.

Sri Lanka has a long history of a valiant civil society that has tried to make government accountable. Now civil society’s existence is threatened by a proposed NGO law that’s draconian, totally unnecessary and should be dropped.

Instead of crushing dissent and cracking down on protests, the authorities should listen to civil society and citizens, and follow through on measures to uphold the political, social and economic rights of each and every citizen.