Sri Lanka summons Canadian envoy after target sanctions against ex-presidents
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry summoned the acting Canadian High Commissioner to express the island nation’s displeasure over Ottawa imposing targeted sanctions against four Sri Lankans including two former presidents over human rights abuse.
The ministry said the decision was based on “unsubstantiated allegations”.
Canada on Tuesday (10) imposed sanctions against former presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa (2019-2022) and his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa (2005-2015) for committing “gross and systematic violations of human rights” during a 26-year civil conflict.
The Rajapaksa brothers who were ousted from their top posts last year in the face of strong public protests have been imposed sanctions for the first time though such moves have been contemplated for the last 14 years since the end of the war.
“Foreign Minister Ali Sabry summoned the Canadian Acting High Commissioner Daniel Bood to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (11), and expressed the deep regret of the hovernment on the announcement of unilateral sanctions brought against four individuals including two former Presidents of Sri Lanka by the Government of Canada based on unsubstantiated allegations,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
A senior official said Canada’s decision on sanctions was take without any diplomatic communications.
International human rights groups and the West led by the United States have demanded successive Sri Lankan governments to address the past human rights violations, particularly during the final weeks of the 26-year war. A United Nation report has found thousands of civilians were killed during the final week by both the military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Though promised, Rajapaksas failed to address the past human rights violations and faced UN resolutions for an international inquiry over the rights abuses during the final months of the war.
Several western countries have threatened Sri Lanka with targeted sanctions against a number of senior state officials and military personnel, including the Rajapaksas and some top military leaders for human rights violations.
The sanction will prohibit any transaction including property with the four Sri Lankans while the individuals listed are also rendered inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, Canada said in the official statement.
Along with Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake and Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi also were named in the sanction list.
The Canadian government refused to accept Sri Lanka’s Former Air Force Commander Sumanagala Dias as the Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada in April 2021 amid allegations of war crimes.
Sri Lanka military and Rajapaksas have rejected all the allegations of war crimes and human rights abuses.
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