Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa has questioned the government on its stance regarding the UK government’s recent sanctions on four individuals, including former senior military commanders, over serious human rights abuses and violations during the Sri Lanka civil war.
The UK Government imposed sanctions on former head of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces Shavendra Silva, former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, former Commander of the Sri Lankan Army Jagath Jayasuriya and former LTTE military commander Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman.
Taking to ‘X’, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka was the first nation to fully defeat terrorism, yet the West continues to selectively target Sri Lankan war veterans while ignoring those who funded and justified LTTE brutality.
He further said the latest UK sanctions aren’t about human rights and that they are the result of relentless LTTE-backed lobbying, manipulating foreign governments to act against those who brought lasting peace.
“This is not justice; some Western politicians are enjoying the perks of lobbying money, putting our nation’s reconciliation at risk. People from both the North and South must understand that the freedom we enjoy today comes from tough decisions. These sanctions will lower the morale of our forces, and if another crisis arises, they may lack the courage to fight if we don’t support them now.
“Those behind these sanctions don’t care about the safety of the Tamil community—they are only creating more problems and further jeopardizing reconciliation. Their real goal is to disrupt the progress made, especially as Tamil communities in the North and East now have a clear path to vote for national parties. We will never allow anyone to hamper reconciliation between communities,” he said.
MP Namal Rajapaksa reiterated that the war was against terrorism, not against any ethnic group.
“I urge the Tamil community not to fall for the agenda of certain Tamil politicians who receive perks to fuel divisions between communities through certain INGOs,” he said.
MP Namal Rajapaksa questioned if the government would defend its war veterans or remain silent over the matter.
“Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Vijitha Herath, your government came to power with support from those who have always undermined our military’s sacrifices. Will you defend them now when foreign powers attack those who secured peace for Sri Lanka, or will you stay silent?
“We will always protect our war veterans—now and forever. Their sacrifices secured our peace, and we will never allow anyone to undermine their legacy,” the SLPP MP added. (Newswire)