The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has released its report on the violent events in Digana, and surrounding areas, in March 2018, stressing that the attacks on the Muslim community were premeditated rather than spontaneous reactions to local tensions. The report, made public on 01 September 2025, calls for a wide-ranging set of reforms across law enforcement, education, and government institutions to prevent future communal violence.
According to the HRCSL, the Teldeniya Police acted promptly and lawfully in arresting those suspected of assaulting a person named H.G. Kumarasinghe, but false claims of inaction by organised groups incited further violence against Muslims.
The inquiry concluded that while some errant police and STF officers may have supported the attacks, the law enforcement authorities, as a whole, did not actively promote violence. The failure to prevent the attacks stemmed largely from inadequate intelligence, resources, and personnel, forcing the Army to intervene to restore order.
The HRCSL has emphasised that the Digana incident fits a recurring pattern of targeted attacks against Muslim communities in Sri Lanka. It has cited similar episodes in Gintota, Ampara, and historical instances dating back to 1915. It warned that discriminatory policies and practices such as restrictions on religious expression, mandatory cremation policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, and long-term detention under anti-terror laws have created a hostile environment exploited by extremist groups.
The HRCSL s report includes detailed recommendations for 11 government ministries and agencies. Key proposals include the following:
* Ministry of Law and Order: Strengthen intelligence gathering, establish rapid response systems to prevent communal violence, address low morale among police officers, and form inclusive civil committees with monthly meetings involving local police.
* Ministry of Social Services and Welfare: Screen organisations seeking registration to prevent divisive or extremist agendas.
* Ministry of Education: Introduce national reconciliation and coexistence as compulsory subjects, end ethnically or religiously segregated schooling, and provide inclusive curricula promoting human rights and civic values.
* Ministry of Youth Affairs: Implement youth empowerment and training programmes, especially for those implicated in violent incidents, to promote attitudinal change.
* Ministries of Sports and Government Administration: Encourage inter-community participation in sports and community projects, develop networks at local levels to promote reconciliation, and monitor compensation for victims of violence.
* Ministry of Women and Child Affairs: Provide medical, educational, and material support to children and families affected by the Digana violence.
The report also stresses the urgent need for stronger legal mechanisms to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct, including torture, custodial deaths, enforced disappearances, and assaults. It recommends the creation of an independent Office for the Investigation and Prosecution of Serious Crimes by State Officials, empowered to investigate and prosecute human rights violations impartially.
As for the issue of hate speech, the HRC has highlighted that Section 3 of the ICCPR Act criminalising advocacy of racial or religious hatred has not been applied effectively, leaving instigators of violence in Digana largely unpunished. The Commission called for immediate enforcement of the law, particularly against online hate speech, while also addressing deeper social, economic, and cultural drivers of inter-communal tension.
The HRCSL has also noted that segregated schooling and exclusionary historical narratives contribute to prejudice, calling for reforms to create inclusive, diverse learning environments where children from different ethnic and religious communities can build mutual trust and resilience.
The report concludes that sustainable peace and coexistence require coordinated action by national, provincial, and local authorities, alongside law enforcement, civil society, and educational institutions, to prevent the perpetuation of communal violence in Sri Lanka.