Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to apply sanctions against (a) General Shavendra Silva, (b) Major General Kamal Gunaratne and (c) others resident in Sri Lanka and elsewhere credibly accused of gross human rights violations and war crimes; and if he will make a statement.

The UK Government remains concerned by the number of appointments in Sri Lanka of military figures implicated in allegations of human rights violations and war crimes to senior positions. The UK's Global Human Rights sanctions regime offers a powerful tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. It is not appropriate to speculate on who may be designated in the future as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations.