Sri Lanka says British sanctions on ex-military unhelpful
Sri Lanka’s new authorities on Wednesday criticised Britain’s sanctions in opposition to three retired high army commanders and a former Tamil guerrilla, saying the transfer difficult reconciliation after its decades-long battle.
The British authorities introduced on Monday sanctions in opposition to the previous head of Sri Lanka’s armed forces, Shavendra Silva, former navy commander Wasantha Karannagoda and former military commander Jagath Jayasuriya.
A fourth Sri Lankan, former army commander of the insurgent Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, was additionally sanctioned.
London’s “unilateral motion didn’t help however served to complicate the nationwide reconciliation course of in Sri Lanka”, the Colombo authorities stated in an announcement.
The Overseas Workplace stated that the 4 have been chargeable for “severe human rights abuses and violations” through the island’s drawn-out Tamil separatist battle, which led to Might 2009.
This included “extrajudicial killings, torture, and/or perpetration of sexual violence”, the Overseas Workplace stated.
The sanctions embrace UK journey bans and asset freezes.
Colombo stated the sanctions got here at a time when it was “within the technique of strengthening home mechanisms on accountability and reconciliation”, however didn’t elaborate.
It added, nevertheless, that any wartime human rights violations ought to be handled via home accountability mechanisms.
The Sri Lankan former army leaders have additionally been slapped with journey bans from america and Canada.
A number of former safety personnel have beforehand been denied visas to a number of Western nations.
Sri Lanka’s successive governments have rejected worldwide calls, together with from the United Nations, to determine an unbiased, credible investigative mechanism to prosecute battle criminals.
London’s high envoy in Colombo, Andrew Patrick, was summoned to the Overseas Ministry to convey Sri Lanka’s displeasure.
In its Monday assertion, the British authorities stated it remained dedicated to human rights in Sri Lanka, together with looking for accountability for violations and abuses that occurred through the civil battle.
Greater than 40,000 individuals, principally Tamil civilians, have been estimated to have been killed by authorities forces within the closing months of the battle, an allegation Colombo has persistently denied.
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