By Rusiripala Tennekoon –

Public  attention is currently focused on a humanitarian issue involving the provision of essential food ,water and other humanitarian assistance to Iranian naval vessels within Sri Lanka’s maritime zone. There is a fundamental question that we should ask whenever sanctions, international restrictions or political considerations arise in relation to persons in distress at sea:

Can saving a human life ever be treated as an offence?

A person who is drowning cannot first be asked about his nationality, political affiliation or the organisation to which he belongs.

A person whose vessel has been wrecked cannot be left without food and drinking water because providing such assistance might subsequently be interpreted as supporting a sanctioned party.

A marooned sailor, a shipwreck survivor, an injured fisherman or any other person facing imminent danger at sea is, first and foremost, a human being in need of rescue.

The duty to render assistance to persons in distress at sea is one of the oldest and most fundamental principles of maritime conduct. It is based not merely on law, but on humanity and common decency.

Of course, sanctions have a legitimate purpose. They may restrict financial dealings, military assistance, procurement and other forms of support to persons or entities that are specifically targeted by the sanctions.

But saving a life is fundamentally different from providing prohibited support.

Giving a starving person food, providing drinking water to a stranded crew, rescuing survivors from a sinking vessel, administering emergency medical treatment or taking people to a place of safety should not, in itself, be regarded as a political act or as support for a sanctioned entity.

The international community should therefore ensure that sanctions regimes contain clear and effective humanitarian and maritime emergency exemptions.

No captain, fisherman, coast guard officer, humanitarian worker or ordinary citizen should ever have to make the terrible calculation:

“If I save this person, will I be punished for it?”

There must be a clear line between prohibited assistance and the preservation of human life.

Political differences can be settled at the negotiating table. Sanctions can be imposed, reviewed and withdrawn.

But when a human being is drowning, there may be only minutes to act.

Our first duty should be to save the life.

Humanity must not be sanctioned.

I make this observation with the greatest respect to our government and to all countries concerned.

I do not seek to defend any country, government, military force or sanctioned entity. Nor do I question the legitimate purposes for which international sanctions may be imposed.

But I believe that, as Sri Lankans and as members of the international community, we have a responsibility to speak when a fundamental humanitarian principle is at stake.

If human beings at sea are genuinely in distress or deprived of the basic necessities required for their survival, their immediate need for food, drinking water, medical attention or rescue should not be determined by their nationality or by the political circumstances surrounding their vessel.

I therefore respectfully endorse the view that Sri Lanka should explore every lawful means available to provide genuine humanitarian assistance without facilitating any prohibited commercial or financial activity.

I accept responsibility for making this view public because I believe there are occasions when remaining silent is easier, but speaking on behalf of humanity is the greater responsibility.

Sanctions may regulate international relations. They should never be allowed to extinguish our common humanity.

Sri Lanka has consistently upheld the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of nations, while  maintaining its own independent foreign policy and respecting the right of every sovereign State to conduct its affairs without external interference. That tradition should guide us today as well. We can respect the legitimate concerns and legal requirements arising from international sanctions while, at the same time, upholding the equally important principle that humanitarian assistance to persons in genuine distress must not be denied merely because of the nationality of the vessel or the political circumstances surrounding it.