Sri Lanka Rebukes UK Sanctions on Military Leaders

Sri Lanka criticized the UK for sanctioning three former military commanders, complicating reconciliation efforts. The UK imposed travel bans and asset freezes amidst ongoing calls for domestic accountability for rights abuses. Former LTTE members who joined the government were also sanctioned, reflecting growing global scrutiny.

Sri Lanka has expressed strong disapproval of the UK government's decision to sanction three of its former military commanders. The move comes as the British authorities implement travel bans and asset freezes on these individuals, who led the charge against the LTTE in 2009.

The Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the sanctions as unilateral and detrimental to ongoing national reconciliation efforts. The ministry emphasized the importance of relying on domestic mechanisms to address past human rights violations and conveyed this stance to the British High Commissioner.

The UK's actions follow similar sanctions by the US in 2020 and Canada's recent measures against two former Sri Lankan presidents. These international actions highlight the mounting pressure on Sri Lanka to address decades-old allegations of rights abuses.

(With inputs from agencies.)