The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today that unilateral action by the UK and other countries in imposing sanctions on certain individuals do not assist but serve to complicate the national reconciliation process underway in Sri Lanka.

In a statement issued a short while ago the MFA  said this is an unilateral action taken by the UK government which involves an asset freeze and travel ban on the individuals concerned.

‘The  government is in the process of strengthening domestic mechanisms on accountability and reconciliation and any past human rights violations should be dealt with through domestic accountability mechanisms,’ the MFA said.

The position of the Government of Sri Lanka was conveyed by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath to the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism.

On Monday the UK announced a travel ban as well as freezing of assets of former chief of staff to Shavendra Silva, former commander of the Navy Wasantha Karannagoda and former commander of the Army Jagath Jayasuriya as well as Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan better known as Karuna Amman.