British MP of Sri Lankan origin, Uma Kumaran, called on the UK’s Foreign Secretary to expand on the government’s sanctions on those accused of war crimes during the conflict in Sri Lanka.

During a Foreign Affairs Committee meeting on Dec 16, the MP for Stratford and Bow highlighted the lack of accountability and political will from the current Sri Lankan government to address war crimes and mass atrocities committed in Sri Lanka.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed the need for “sustained action” to improve human rights in Sri Lanka and address the “longstanding issues” related to the legitimate concerns of the Tamil community.

“When your predecessor appeared before the committee in November 24 and again in July 25, I asked him about justice for the Tamil community,” began Kumaran, speaking on previous calls made to then Foreign Secretary David Lammy on the need to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court and ensure proper investigations around mass graves on the island.

“An investigation by the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights at the UN found that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Sri Lankan forces committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, including torture, sexual violence, and forced disappearances… against the civilian population. It’s been 15 years since the war’s end and there’s not been a special court or any criminal investigations into those war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.”

“The victims, their families, the survivors, no one’s been listened to. Given that the Sri Lankan state has failed to prosecute the perpetrators of war crimes, they won’t ratify the Rome Statute of the ICC, and there’s a lack of political will. Will the UK continue to push the Sri Lankan government to make sure that there is justice and accountability for Tamils?”

In response, Cooper acknowledged the “deep long-standing” and the “legitimate concerns” of the Tamil community. She expressed that the government had “pressed” the Sri Lankan government to address “troubling” issues around human rights, but noted that sustained action is required.

Yvette Cooper

“So obviously, as you say, this is a deep, long-standing and troubling issue. We do continue to encourage the Sri Lankan government to recognise the legitimate concerns around the need for truth and reconciliation here, and to properly recognise and address some of those long-standing serious problems and grievances as well.”

“So we will continue to raise this.”

“We have also pressed the Sri Lankan government to take transformational action and sustained action in terms of improving human rights, and I think, as you’ll probably know, that we had sanctions, four individuals back in March of this year as well, on those grounds. So we see this as an issue moving forward as well.”

Kumaran, in response, welcomed the government’s commitment to sustained action and called on the Foreign Secretary to expand a sanction package on Sri Lankan war criminals.

“I welcome that, and if you’re looking at further sanctions as a package, please do consider some of the other individuals that have been put forward too.”

Earlier this year the United Kingdom announced sanctions against four individuals implicated in “serious human rights violations”, in a move it says is aimed at promoting accountability and challenging the culture of impunity that continues to shield perpetrators.

The sanctions, unveiled by the former UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, targeted senior figures from both the Sri Lankan military and a government-affiliated paramilitary group, including individuals linked to extrajudicial killings, torture, and sexual violence.

Those sanctioned are:

• Shavendra Silva, former Head of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces;

• Wasantha Karannagoda, former Navy Commander;

• Jagath Jayasuriya, former Commander of the Sri Lankan Army;

• Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, also known as Karuna Amman, who led the pro-government Karuna Group, a paramilitary unit that operated in collaboration with the Sri Lankan military.

The Sri Lankan military has been accused of extensive rights abuses, particularly during the final stages of the Mullivaikkal genocide in 2009. Investigations by the UN and human rights organisations have detailed mass civilian killings, enforced disappearances, and widespread use of sexual violence—none of which have led to domestic prosecutions of senior military or political figures.