By IRNA-PTI
Colombo : The United States has suspended export of defence equipment and services to Sri Lanka demanding that Colombo improve its human rights record. The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, in a statement posted on its website, said that the decision was in line with the US Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 signed late last month by President George W. Bush.
The legislation came into effect on December 26 last year and was not linked to Colombo’s decision to dump a 2002 ceasefire with the Tamil Tigers early this week, which had also “troubled” the US.
“It is the policy of the United States to deny applications for licenses and other approvals to export or otherwise transfer defense articles and services to Sri Lanka,” the statement said.
It, however, added that the only exception to this policy is that licenses may be issued for technical data or equipment made available for the limited purposes of maritime and air surveillance and communications.
“Such licenses remain subject to case-by-case review,” it said.
Human rights groups have accused the government of committing abuses in its over two-decade long fight against Tamil rebels.
The legislation also makes any military grants for Sri Lanka dependent on certification by the US secretary of state that it has prosecuted military officials alleged to have recruited child soldiers and committed extra-judicial executions. Also that Colombo has provided humanitarian groups and reporters access to Tamil-dominated areas.
The Act also asks Sri Lanka to allow the United Nations to establish a human rights office in the country.
However, Sri Lankan officials feel the US restriction would not affect the island country due to the exemptions mentioned in the Act.
They pointed out that the US Act had not banned some key US-Sri Lanka defence related programmes, such as intelligence sharing.