Sri Lanka responds to UK sanctions on former military commanders

The Sri Lankan government has responded to the United Kingdom’s decision to impose sanctions on four individuals, including three former military commanders, for alleged human rights violations during the country’s civil war.

In a press release issued today (March 26), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism acknowledged the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) statement dated March 24, 2025, titled “UK Sanctions for Human Rights Violations and Abuses during the Sri Lankan Civil War.” The UK government has implemented an asset freeze and travel ban on the sanctioned individuals.

The Sri Lankan government views this as a unilateral decision by the UK, which it believes could complicate the ongoing national reconciliation process. The ministry emphasized that such external actions do not contribute to reconciliation efforts and instead pose challenges to domestic mechanisms aimed at addressing past human rights concerns.

The government reiterated its commitment to strengthening internal mechanisms for accountability and reconciliation. It stressed that any past human rights violations should be addressed through Sri Lanka’s domestic judicial and accountability framework rather than through foreign interventions.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath conveyed Sri Lanka’s official stance on the matter to the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism earlier today.

The Sri Lankan government maintains that reconciliation and accountability efforts must be led internally to ensure a sustainable and fair resolution to past conflicts.

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