Canada imposes sanctions on Rajapaksa brothers over human rights violations
COLOMBO – Canada on Tuesday (10) announced targeted sanctions on the Rajapaksa brothers, Mahinda and Gotabaya, and two state officials over human rights violations during the armed conflict in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009. The two officials have been identified as Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake and Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi.
Ratnayake, who was as sentenced to death in 2015 for the murder of eight Tamils, including three children, in the town of Mirusuvil 2000, was released on a presidential pardon in 2020, while Hettiarachchi, also known as ‘Navy Sampath’, who had earlier evaded arrest over the abduction and forced disappearance of 11 people, predominantly Tamil and was later released on bail.
The Canadian foreign ministry, in a news release announcing the sanctions, quoted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, as saying, “Canada has taken decisive action today to end international impunity against violators of international law.”
The sanctions, imposed under Canada’s Special Economic Measures Act, prohibits dealings with the listed persons effectively freezing any assets the Rajapaksa brothers, Ratnayake and Hettiarachchi may hold in Canada and render them inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
The foreign ministry noted that despite continued calls from Canada and the international community to address accountability, the Government of Sri Lanka has taken limited meaningful and concrete action to uphold its human rights obligations, jeopardizing progress on justice for affected populations, and prospects for peace and reconciliation.
“Victims and survivors of gross human rights violations deserve justice. That is why Canada continues to call on Sri Lanka to fulfil its commitment to establish a meaningful accountability process,” it said, adding that the sanctions send a clear message that Canada will not accept continued impunity for those that have committed gross human rights violations in Sri Lanka.
The ministry has said Canada will continue to collaborate alongside international partners, including through relevant multilateral bodies to advocate for human rights and accountability in Sri Lanka, identifying it is an important step toward securing a safe, peaceful and inclusive future for the country.
The ministry said that as part of the Core Group on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council it will continue to advocate for the full implementation of resolution 51/1 and support efforts towards attaining accountability and peace on the island.
The foreign ministry said Canada also supports efforts towards urgent political and economic reforms to alleviate the hardships faced by the people in Sri Lanka, and strongly encourages the Sri Lankan government to promote democracy, human rights and maintain the rule of law as it works to address the crisis.
In addition to Tuesday’s announcement, and in response to the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka, Canada earlier this week announced $3 million to the appeals launched by the United Nations and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to address immediate needs, including food security and livelihoods, shelter and non-food items, as well as nutritional assistance and primary healthcare services for vulnerable children and women. Canada has also readjusted ongoing international assistance projects to address pressing needs, providing support, for instance, to the World Health Organization for the procurement of essential medical equipment and supplies.
-ENCL
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