The Sri Lankan government criticised a United States imposed travel sanction on the head of its army over reports of his involvement in war crimes and extrajudicial killings of Tamils more than a decade ago.

Sri Lanka reportedly summoned US Ambassador Alaina Teplitz for a meeting in Colombo on Sunday, where Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena “formally conveyed… Sri Lanka’s strong objections” on the ban placed on Shavendra Silva and his family.

The leader of Sri Lanka’s opposition has vowed to “stand by” the head of the army, after he was banned from travelling to the United States over his involvement in mass atrocities over a decade ago, when tens of thousands of Tamils were killed in a Sri Lankan military offensive.

<p>People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) welcomes the travel ban imposed on Sri Lankan army chief, Shavendra Silva and his family&nbsp;by the US government.</p> <blockquote><p> "This sends an important message to those who committed war crimes with impunity, not only in Sri Lanka, but around the world, that the US will not tolerate their presence. <strong>This is a small, but significant, step. </strong>The designation crucially validates Tamil victims and survivors of atrocity crimes to continue the fight for justice," &nbsp;the organisation said in a&nbsp;statement. </p></blockquote>

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) welcomed the decision to impose a travel ban against Shavendra Silva and his family into entering the US.

<p>Sri Lanka's government "takes strong objection' to the&nbsp;travel ban imposed&nbsp;on army chief, Shavendra Silva.&nbsp;</p> <p>"There were no substantiated or proven allegations of human rights violations against him," the Sri Lankan government claimed in a press release.&nbsp;</p> <p>"It is disappointing that a foreign government should question the prerogative of the democratically elected President to call upon persons with proven expertise to hold key positions on national security related matters," the statement added.</p>

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) expressed their sympathies following the death of Mrs Manoharan – the mother of Manoharan Ragihar – who was one of the students of the ‘Trinco 5’.

The United States (US) Ambassador to Sri Lanka has been summoned to Sri Lanka's Foreign Minstry over the US travel ban on Sri Lankan army chief, Shavendra Silva, Adaderana reports. 

The Ambassador, Alaina Teplitz, has been called on to meet with Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on February 16 to discuss the travel ban.

Shavendra Silva was barred from entering the USA “due to credible information of his involvement, through command responsibility, in gross violations of human rights.”

The current speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Karu Jayasuriya has admitted that corruption is “entrenched” in Sri Lanka, stating that both major political parties are guilty.

Speaker Jayasuriya tweeted last month that “Sri Lanka’s corruption is so entrenched that both sides governed SL are implicated by report after report”.

“Forensic report on bonds and ETF, and Sri Lankan Airlines employee fixed in UK courts for $ 2 m are mere recent examples,” he added.

Families of the disappeared have responded to the offensive statement offered by Sri Lankan Minister, Wimal Weerawansa, by continuing protests, which have now exceeded 1100 days, and by demanding to know what happened to their relatives who were handed to the military.

<p>The EU said that ‘several concerns remain’ regarding the human rights and good governance situation in Sri Lanka in their GSP+ assessment of the country.</p> <p>The report highlights that there has been “insufficient progress on a number of issues, such as the continued use of torture and lack of accountability; the repeal of the PTA and its replacement with counter-terrorism legislation in line with international standard; the full demilitarisation of the former conflict areas; and the establishment of the truth about the fate of the missing and disappeared persons during the civil war and its aftermath.”</p>