This week has made one thing abundantly clear: Sri Lanka will never voluntarily deliver justice. Whether in Geneva or on an international news broadcast, its leaders lie, deflect, and evade.

This budget signals an unsettling continuation of the Sri Lankan state’s militarised grip over their lands and lives.

This week, Tamils took to streets to send the Sri Lankan state a message – just as they did in the 1950s.

Familiar scenes played out across the island last week as Sri Lanka marked 77 years since the end of British rule. In the Sinhala south, lion flags were hoisted with pride and Colombo’s streets saw yet another military parade. But in the Tamil North-East, a starkly different picture was evident once more. Black flags were raised, protests were held, and the enduring sense of alienation that Tamils have long felt on this so-called "Independence Day" was once again laid bare.

Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India saw him receive the grandest of receptions, in a sign that New Delhi is firmly pressing ahead with its plans to increase its footprint on the island.

For too long, the United Kingdom has pursued a flawed and outdated policy on Sri Lanka. It has left Britain lagging behind its international allies, some of whom imposed targeted sanctions years ago. The UK must not just catch up. If it seeks to maintain its influence on the island and the region as a whole, it must go further and lead.

^{Illustration by Keera Ratnam / wavesofcolour}