On March 24, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on three former Sri Lankan military commanders, citing allegations of war crimes committed during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009. The individuals sanctioned include Shavendra Silva, former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, Wasantha Karannagoda, former Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, and Jagath Jayasuriya, former Commander of the Sri Lankan Army.
These sanctions impose travel bans and asset freezes, allegedly as part of the UK’s commitment to justice and accountability. However, the decision raises critical questions about fairness, political motives, and selective justice in international affairs.
Sri Lanka’s civil war lasted 26 years (1983–2009), making it one of the longest-running and most devastating conflicts in South Asia. The war pitted the Sri Lankan government against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an internationally designated terrorist organization that fought for a separate Tamil state in the North and East of Sri Lanka.
The LTTE was responsible for suicide bombings in civilian areas, assassinations of political leaders—including Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India—the use of child soldiers, and the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in the North and East.
By 2009, the Sri Lankan military launched a final operation to eradicate the LTTE, effectively bringing peace to the nation for the first time in decades. The Sri Lankan government has always maintained that the war was fought against terrorism—not against a particular ethnic group—and was conducted with extreme caution to minimize civilian casualties.
Unlike many military conflicts worldwide, where large-scale bombings indiscriminately destroy entire cities, the Sri Lankan armed forces engaged in one of the most complex and humanitarian military campaigns in history. Their operations safeguarded over 300,000 Tamil civilians, who were being held as human shields by the LTTE.
If Sri Lanka had truly committed systematic war crimes, why do Tamil civilians today live peacefully alongside Sinhalese and Muslims in a unified country? If war crimes were the real concern, why has the UK never taken action against the LTTE’s global financial network, which operated freely in London, Canada, and other Western capitals?
The decision to impose sanctions more than 15 years after the war ended raises concerns about political motivations rather than a genuine pursuit of justice. Sri Lanka remains a stable, democratic nation that has made significant strides in reconciliation and post-war recovery. The military has played a crucial role in demining operations, resettlement programs, and rebuilding war-torn areas.
By sanctioning these individuals now, the UK risks undermining Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and reconciliation efforts. The country has its own legal mechanisms to address any allegations of misconduct, and foreign intervention often complicates rather than resolves these issues.
If the UK is truly committed to justice, why has it never sanctioned Western military leaders responsible for civilian deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya? Why has it ignored LTTE front groups that raised millions to fund terrorism? Why does it remain silent on well-documented war crimes in Palestine, Yemen, or Syria?
By selectively targeting Sri Lanka while ignoring far worse atrocities committed by Western allies, the UK damages its own credibility on human rights issues. Selective justice is not justice at all.
Sri Lanka must stand firm against external pressures and defend its sovereignty. The government, along with its international allies, should push back against politically motivated actions that seek to undermine the country’s stability.
At the same time, Sri Lanka should continue its efforts toward reconciliation and economic progress, ensuring that all communities feel secure and included in the nation’s future. The focus must remain on economic recovery, strengthening international partnerships, and maintaining national unity.
The UK’s decision may complicate diplomatic relations, but Sri Lanka must navigate this challenge with confidence and clarity. The real victims of this decision are not the sanctioned individuals, but the truth and fairness that global justice should stand for. aOn March 24, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on three former Sri Lankan military commanders, citing allegations of war crimes committed during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009. The individuals sanctioned include Shavendra Silva, former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, Wasantha Karannagoda, former Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, and Jagath Jayasuriya, former Commander of the Sri Lankan Army.
These sanctions impose travel bans and asset freezes, allegedly as part of the UK’s commitment to justice and accountability. However, the decision raises critical questions about fairness, political motives, and selective justice in international affairs.
Sri Lanka’s civil war lasted 26 years (1983–2009), making it one of the longest-running and most devastating conflicts in South Asia. The war pitted the Sri Lankan government against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an internationally designated terrorist organization that fought for a separate Tamil state in the North and East of Sri Lanka.
The LTTE was responsible for suicide bombings in civilian areas, assassinations of political leaders—including Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India—the use of child soldiers, and the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in the North and East.
By 2009, the Sri Lankan military launched a final operation to eradicate the LTTE, effectively bringing peace to the nation for the first time in decades. The Sri Lankan government has always maintained that the war was fought against terrorism—not against a particular ethnic group—and was conducted with extreme caution to minimize civilian casualties.
Unlike many military conflicts worldwide, where large-scale bombings indiscriminately destroy entire cities, the Sri Lankan armed forces engaged in one of the most complex and humanitarian military campaigns in history. Their operations safeguarded over 300,000 Tamil civilians, who were being held as human shields by the LTTE.
If Sri Lanka had truly committed systematic war crimes, why do Tamil civilians today live peacefully alongside Sinhalese and Muslims in a unified country? If war crimes were the real concern, why has the UK never taken action against the LTTE’s global financial network, which operated freely in London, Canada, and other Western capitals?
The decision to impose sanctions more than 15 years after the war ended raises concerns about political motivations rather than a genuine pursuit of justice. Sri Lanka remains a stable, democratic nation that has made significant strides in reconciliation and post-war recovery. The military has played a crucial role in demining operations, resettlement programs, and rebuilding war-torn areas.
By sanctioning these individuals now, the UK risks undermining Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and reconciliation efforts. The country has its own legal mechanisms to address any allegations of misconduct, and foreign intervention often complicates rather than resolves these issues.
If the UK is truly committed to justice, why has it never sanctioned Western military leaders responsible for civilian deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya? Why has it ignored LTTE front groups that raised millions to fund terrorism? Why does it remain silent on well-documented war crimes in Palestine, Yemen, or Syria?
By selectively targeting Sri Lanka while ignoring far worse atrocities committed by Western allies, the UK damages its own credibility on human rights issues. Selective justice is not justice at all.
Sri Lanka must stand firm against external pressures and defend its sovereignty. The government, along with its international allies, should push back against politically motivated actions that seek to undermine the country’s stability.
At the same time, Sri Lanka should continue its efforts toward reconciliation and economic progress, ensuring that all communities feel secure and included in the nation’s future. The focus must remain on economic recovery, strengthening international partnerships, and maintaining national unity.
The UK’s decision may complicate diplomatic relations, but Sri Lanka must navigate this challenge with confidence and clarity. The real victims of this decision are not the sanctioned individuals, but the truth and fairness that global justice should stand for.
Lanka Rahas Web
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