Sunday, April 27, 2025

SL strongly objects to US travel curbs on army chief

Date:

Share post:

Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has strongly objected to the travel restrictions imposed by the US on the island nation’s Army chief Lt. General Shavendra Silva and his family over “credible” evidence of human rights violations in decades-long civil war, media reports said on Saturday.
In a statement on Friday night, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said: “The government of Sri Lanka takes strong objection to the imposition of travel restrictions on Lt. Gen. Silva and his immediate family members by the Us, based on independently unverified information.”
The government reiterates that Lt. Gen. Silva was appointed as the Commander of the Army taking into account his seniority and that there were no substantiated or proven allegations of human rights violations against him, the Daily Financial Times quoted the statement as saying.
“His elevation as the Acting Chief of Defence Staff by the current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was on account of his being the most senior serving military officer.
“The Sri Lankan government requests the US to verify the authenticity of the sources of information and to review its decision,” the statement added.
In a statement earlier on Friday, the US State Department said that it imposed the travel restriction on Lt. Gen. Silva, “due to credible information of his involvement, through command responsibility, in gross violations of human rights, namely extrajudicial killings, by the 58th Division of the Sri Lanka Army during the final phase of Sri Lanka’s Civil War in 2009”, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported.
“The allegations of gross human rights violations against Silva, documented by the UN and other organisations, are serious and credible… We urge the Sri Lankan government to promote human rights, hold accountable individuals responsible for war crimes and human rights violations, advance security sector reform and uphold its other commitments to pursue justice and reconciliation,” the statement added.
The Sri Lankan Army defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 after 26 years of bloody conflict. (IANS)

Related articles

SC to hear on Monday PIL seeking release of elderly, terminally ill convicted prisoners

New Delhi, April 27 :The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday a public interest litigation (PIL)...

‘Mann Ki Baat’: PM Modi describes significance of April-May in India’s freedom struggle

New Delhi, April 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reflected on the significance of the months...

Punjab Police bust weapon-smuggling module with Pakistan links

Chandigarh, April 27: Punjab Police on Sunday said they have busted a weapon-smuggling module with links to Pakistan...

CPI(M) expels 3-time MP for objectionable behavior towards woman colleague

Kolkata, April 27: The CPI(M) in West Bengal has expelled three-time Lok Sabha member, Bansa Gopal Chowdhury, from...