In a significant move to address human rights violations, the UK government has imposed sanctions on four individuals involved in the brutal Sri Lankan civil war (1983-2009). These measures, including travel bans and asset freezes, target key figures accused of committing atrocities during the conflict, which claimed an estimated 80,000-100,000 lives.
The sanctioned individuals include:
- Shavendra Silva, former Head of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces
- Wasantha Karannagoda, former Navy Commander
- Jagath Jayasuriya, former Commander of the Sri Lankan Army
- Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Karuna Amman), a former LTTE military commander who later led the paramilitary Karuna Group.
In a statement, David Lammy, UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to holding those responsible for war crimes accountable, highlighting the importance of justice for the continued suffering in Sri Lanka’s communities.
The sanctions reflect longstanding international concerns over human rights abuses by both Sri Lankan forces and the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) during the war. Allegations against the government include extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and indiscriminate shelling, while the LTTE committed atrocities like suicide bombings, forced child soldier recruitment, and ethnic cleansing.
Despite several commissions investigating these abuses, Sri Lanka has been criticized for failing to take meaningful action, with government denials and a lack of cooperation with international probes.
A notable shift in Sri Lanka’s political landscape occurred with the election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake in 2024, who holds a supermajority in parliament. His government has pledged to empower local governance and promised to revisit controversial reports like the Batlanda Commission investigating the JVP insurrection. However, critics warn that Dissanayake’s alliances with military figures and Buddhist groups could hinder efforts toward transitional justice.
The sanctions come as part of broader international pressure on Sri Lanka to confront its war-era crimes and establish accountability for its actions.
Source: Pitasanna Shanmugathas, Jurist Article, University of Windsor Faculty of Law, March 2025
