How UK-sanctioned “Col” Karuna was deported from Britain 17 years ago

THE United Kingdom (UK) announced on 24 March 2025 that sanctions have been imposed on four individuals from Sri Lanka who were allegedly responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses during the civil war.

- By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

A press release issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Office stated that the sanctions aim to seek accountability for serious human rights violations and abuses, committed during the civil war, and to prevent a culture of impunity. The sanctions against targeted individuals include measures such as travel bans to the UK and asset freezes.

The four Sri Lankans sanctioned by the UK are former Head of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces Shavendra Silva, former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, former Commander of the Sri Lankan Army Jagath Jayasuriya, and former military commander of the terrorist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan known as Karuna Amman. As is well known Muralitharan broke away from the LTTE and formed the paramilitary Karuna Group, which worked on behalf of the Sri Lankan Army during the war.

The inclusion of Muralitharan alias "Col" Karuna in the list of sanctioned individuals has aroused much interest mainly due to two reasons. This is the first time that a Tamil person from Sri Lanka has been sanctioned by a Western nation. Earlier sanctions by the USA and Canada targeted individuals belonging to the majority Sinhala community. However it must be noted that those being sanctioned are not being targeted on grounds of ethnicity. They are being sanctioned for alleged involvement in human rights abuses, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The second reason for the interest shown by people in the sanctions by the UK against Karuna is based on recent history. Muralitharan alias "Col" Karuna is a person who was arrested, detained, prosecuted, imprisoned, released and deported back to Sri Lanka several years ago. He had allegedly entered the UK posing as a Sinhalese on a diplomatic passport. Ironically the passport was a genuine one issued by Sri Lankan authorities.