File photo: Weeratunga with Mahinda Rajapaksa
The Sri Lankan government has expressed its approval of the US State Department’s decision to sanction two former officials, Udayanga Weeratunga and Kapila Chandrasena, over “significant corruption” during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency.
Addressing the media, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa stated, “The US State Department has given a good response for those who have been trying to prove they were clean”.
“We promised the people that we will be implementing the law against these kinds of corrupt people. We are in the process of taking action. We have already resumed delayed and suspended corrupt cases. We will file legal cases against them.”
He highlighted that the sanctions align with the government’s ongoing efforts to address corruption cases that were previously delayed or suspended.
“We would not be perturbed by the agitations of those alleged people who challenge us asking where the action is. People like Namal Rajapaksa can now ask the same question with this decision. We will take adequate time for legal actions against these corrupt people.” Jayatissa added.
The spokesman emphasised that the sanctions would facilitate Sri Lanka’s efforts to take legal action against the officials. “Through this, it will be easy for the Sri Lanka government to take action against those who are involved in the MiG and Airbus deals. These deals have taken place not in Sri Lanka’s jurisdiction, but internationally,” he said.
“I think this decision will be a catalyst and helpful for Sri Lanka’s efforts to prevent and stop corruption. This proves these corrupt people have carried on their deals globally. As a government, we will implement strong action against them.”
The sanctions target Weeratunga, a former ambassador to Russia and a relative of Mahinda Rajapaksa, over the controversial MiG-27 aircraft deal. He is accused of orchestrating a scheme in 2006 that involved a significant markup, funnelling funds to associates of the Rajapaksa regime.
Chandrasena, the former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, is accused of accepting bribes from Airbus to ensure the purchase of aircraft at inflated prices. The bribery scandal, which saw his wife receive $16 million in a Singaporean account, resulted in substantial financial losses for the country. Sri Lanka previously ordered Chandrasena’s arrest after Britain’s Serious Fraud Office uncovered the payments, which were allegedly linked to Airbus securing a multi-billion-dollar deal during Rajapaksa’s second term.
Whilst Sri Lanka has welcomed the current round of sanctions, which bar Weeratunga, Chandrasena, and their families from entering the United States, the government has said nothing against previous US sanctions on Sri Lankan officials accused of war crimes.
Military officials such as Shavendra Silva, the Sri Lanka’s current chief of staff, are also barred from entering the US over their roles in war crimes committed against Tamils. The new Sri Lankan government however has stood firmly against accountability for those atrocities, with the new president pledging not to undertake prosecutions, whilst the government rejected a UN resolution on accountability.
Last month, Sri Lanka’s president Anura Kumara Dissanayake paid a courtesy visit to Silva and has even gone on to promote other accused war criminals.
