Fact Check: The Rajapaksa Brothers committed genocide against Tamils in the first half of 2009

Fact Check: "The Rajapaksa Brothers committed genocide against Tamils in the first half of 2009"

What We Know

The claim that the Rajapaksa brothers (Mahinda Rajapaksa, then President of Sri Lanka, and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, then Secretary of Defense) committed genocide against Tamils during the first half of 2009 is rooted in the context of the Sri Lankan Civil War, which culminated in May 2009. During this period, the Sri Lankan military was engaged in a final offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), leading to significant civilian casualties. Reports indicate that between 40,000 to 146,000 Tamil civilians were unaccounted for, with estimates suggesting that 169,796 Tamil civilians may have been killed during the conflict (source-2, source-4).

The United Nations and various human rights organizations have accused the Sri Lankan government of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas and the denial of humanitarian aid (source-2, source-5). The UN's panel of experts found "credible allegations" of war crimes committed by both the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE, but the specific classification of these actions as genocide remains contentious (source-2, source-6).

Analysis

The term "genocide" is legally defined under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which includes acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. The evidence surrounding the actions of the Sri Lankan government during the final stages of the civil war suggests severe human rights violations, but the classification of these acts as genocide is debated.

While the Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission Report acknowledges the existence of structural genocide against Tamils, it does not provide conclusive evidence that meets the legal threshold for genocide as defined internationally (source-1). Furthermore, an independent UN panel found credible allegations of war crimes but could not definitively classify the actions as genocide (source-2).

The reliability of sources varies, with governmental reports often facing skepticism due to potential bias, while independent investigations and reports from organizations like the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) are generally viewed as more credible. The ITJP has highlighted the Rajapaksa brothers' roles in the alleged genocide, but these claims are still subject to legal scrutiny and debate (source-7).

Conclusion

The claim that the Rajapaksa brothers committed genocide against Tamils in the first half of 2009 is Partially True. There is substantial evidence of severe human rights violations and war crimes committed during this period, but the classification of these acts as genocide is not universally accepted and remains a contentious issue. The evidence suggests a systematic targeting of the Tamil population, but whether this meets the legal definition of genocide requires further investigation and consensus among legal experts and international bodies.

Sources

1. Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission Report
2. War crimes during the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war
3. Bloody secrets
4. Sri Lanka 'counting civilian war deaths'
5. Tamil genocide
6. Sri Lankas Genocide Against Tamils - UN Treaty Body Database
7. New ITJP report highlights Gotabaya Rajapaksa's pivotal role in 2009 Tamil genocide
8. US: Genocide case file against Sri Lankan government