An open letter to Dr. Siri Walt, Swiss Ambassador to Sri Lanka, has sharply criticised Switzerland’s failure to address human rights concerns, particularly its neglect of women’s rights, before championing asset recovery initiatives. The letter highlights Switzerland’s past controversies, including the false abduction claims by embassy employee Ganiya Banister Francis, which damaged Sri Lanka’s reputation. It also condemns Switzerland’s inaction in addressing the sexual assault allegations against Azad Maulana, a former UNHCR employee now reportedly residing in Switzerland, who allegedly committed heinous crimes against a Sri Lankan woman.
The letter warns against Sri Lankan authorities using Maulana as a state witness to evade accountability and urges Switzerland to hold him accountable. The author argues that Switzerland’s actions undermine its credibility and calls for immediate action to uphold justice and women’s rights.
The full text of the letter is as follows:
To:
Dr. Siri Walt
Ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka
Embassy of Switzerland
Subject: A Call to Exemplify Accountability and Uphold Human Rights Before Pursuing Asset Recovery
Your Excellency,
I write to you with a profound sense of dismay and indignation at the glaring hypocrisy underpinning Switzerland’s ostensible commitments to justice and human rights, particularly in light of your recent assurances to assist Sri Lanka in recovering misappropriated assets. While such promises are ostensibly commendable, they ring hollow when juxtaposed against Switzerland’s past duplicity and its conspicuous failures in upholding fundamental human rights, especially in cases involving Sri Lanka.
Switzerland’s record of meddling in Sri Lanka’s domestic affairs is marred by instances of egregious misconduct that have undermined Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and international reputation. A stark illustration of this is the deeply troubling case of Ganiya Banister Francis, a Swiss Embassy employee whose fabricated allegations of abduction and torture against Sri Lankan state authorities plunged bilateral relations into turmoil. Despite her subsequent admission in court that these claims were contrived to tarnish Sri Lanka’s image and secure asylum in Switzerland, your government failed to issue even a perfunctory apology for the significant damage caused by this deception. This unapologetic stance not only erodes Switzerland’s credibility but also exposes a lack of accountability that undermines its purported commitment to justice and human rights.
Furthermore, the moral vacuity of Switzerland’s position is starkly evident in its reprehensible response to an urgent plea for justice by a Sri Lankan woman who endured heinous sexual violence at the hands of Azad Maulana, a man now reportedly residing in Switzerland. This victim’s harrowing account of deceit, brutality, and subsequent intimidation should have elicited immediate and unequivocal action from a nation that prides itself on championing human rights. Instead, her appeal was met with an egregious dismissal on the pretext of jurisdictional limitations—a response that betrays Switzerland’s moral obligations and its vaunted reputation as a bastion of justice and human dignity.
The survivor’s letter, dated 14 September 2023, chronicles her ordeal, which began with a false marriage orchestrated by Azad Maulana and his accomplices. This heinous ruse served as a prelude to over 10 days of repeated sexual assault, leaving her physically and emotionally scarred. Despite filing a criminal case and enduring ongoing investigations by Sri Lankan law enforcement, the victim continues to face threats and intimidation. Meanwhile, Azad Maulana, a known perpetrator, resides freely under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which raises troubling questions about Switzerland’s commitment to justice and accountability.
We sincerely hope that Sri Lankan law enforcement is not engaging in reprehensible efforts to force this courageous woman to withdraw her case in order to clear a path for Azad Maulana to be coerced into becoming a state witness. To become a state witness cannot and must not serve as an excuse to exonerate criminal acts, nor can it absolve the perpetrator of the heinous crimes he has committed. Should Azad Maulana be returned to Sri Lanka, it is the government’s unequivocal responsibility to ensure he remains within the country until the due legal process is completed—not only to secure justice for this victim but also for those who have filed cases against him for ransom, fraud, and other criminal activities.
It is imperative that your Excellency, and by extension the Swiss government, recognise that pontificating on asset recovery and development while disregarding the fundamental rights of women, especially those brutalised by individuals within your jurisdiction, reeks of hypocrisy. Before you champion lofty ideals of anti-corruption and economic reform, it would serve your mission well to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to upholding human rights, particularly the rights of women subjected to unimaginable cruelty.
If Switzerland is indeed earnest in its efforts to promote human rights and justice globally, it must first confront its own transgressions and failures. Diplomatic theatrics and lofty proclamations of assistance in asset recovery cannot obscure the glaring inconsistencies in Switzerland’s approach to human rights, particularly when it pertains to Sri Lanka. The cases of Ganiya Banister Francis and Azad Maulana illustrate a disturbing pattern: a willingness to exploit Sri Lanka’s challenges for political leverage while shirking responsibility when the tables turn.
Your Excellency, it is imperative that Switzerland addresses these historical and ongoing injustices with the seriousness they demand. This entails:
- Issuing a formal apology to Sri Lanka for the false allegations propagated by Ms. Francis, along with assurances to prevent such incidents in the future.
- Engaging robustly and empathetically with the Sri Lankan survivor of sexual assault, ensuring that Switzerland leverages its diplomatic channels and influence to hold Azad Maulana accountable.
- Reaffirming Switzerland’s commitment to human rights through tangible actions, rather than hollow rhetoric, including a transparent and accountable approach to its collaboration with Sri Lanka on anti-corruption initiatives.
Without addressing these glaring inconsistencies, Switzerland’s promises of assistance in asset recovery and its proclamations of supporting Sri Lanka’s development will remain devoid of authenticity and moral weight. Hypocrisy cannot serve as the foundation for meaningful international cooperation, nor can it inspire confidence among the people of Sri Lanka.
Your Excellency, the world expects more from Switzerland. It is time for your nation to rise to the occasion and demonstrate through action—not rhetoric—that it is indeed committed to justice, human dignity, and the principles it so frequently espouses. Anything less would render Switzerland’s stance on human rights a charade and its diplomatic assurances an exercise in futility.
I urge you to consider these matters with the utmost seriousness and to act decisively in rectifying Switzerland’s past missteps while demonstrating a genuine commitment to justice moving forward.
Yours sincerely,
Fathima Nazreen
Batticaloa, Sri Lanka
