ECONOMYNEXT – An asset freeze and travel ban on four Sri Lankans including three former service chiefs are unilateral action taken by the UK government and the move could complicate the national reconciliation process underway, the island nation’s Foreign Ministry said.
The UK on Monday imposed sanctions on four key Sri Lankans who played pivotal roles in the island nation’s 26-year civil war between the government military and Tamil Tiger rebels who are popularly known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The UK imposed travel sanctions on former Commanders of Sri Lanka Army Shavendra Silva and Jagath Jayasuriya, former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, and former military commander of LTTE terrorist group Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, popularly known as Karuna Amman,
“In this regard, the Ministry wishes to underline that this is a unilateral action taken by the UK government which involves an asset freeze and travel ban on the individuals concerned,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Such unilateral actions by countries do not assist but serve to complicate the national reconciliation process underway in Sri Lanka.”
“The government is in the process of strengthening domestic mechanisms on accountability and reconciliation and any past human rights violations should be dealt with through domestic accountability mechanisms.”
“The position of the Government of Sri Lanka was conveyed by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath to the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism.”
The sanctions are aimed at seeking accountability for serious human rights violations and abuses, committed during the civil war, and to prevent a culture of impunity.
The measures, which include UK travel bans and asset freezes, target individuals responsible for a range of violations and abuses, such as extrajudicial killings, during the civil war, the UK Foreign office said in a statement.
Rights group International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), which is involved in the process of ensuring accountability and justice for the war time rights abuses has said more Sri Lankans have been recommended for target sanctions from the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe countries. (Colombo/March 26/2025)
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