Saturday, 1 March 2014 06:38
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Senators praise Govt. for creating environment to hold NPC election
Says political solution should be driven by people of Sri Lanka
Calls for Truth and Reconciliation Commission to be set up
Urges Govt. to improve media and religious freedom and bring attackers to book
A group of 11 mostly Republican Senators have presented on Thursday a resolution in the US Senate on Sri Lanka, with the draft seemingly attempting to soften the phrasing of a similar resolution introduced in early February.
Senate Resolution No.364 stops short of supporting the US Government resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva or censuring the Sri Lankan Government for a lack of progress on reconciliation and accountability issues, but notes the ongoing reports of attacks on places of religious worship and restrictions on the media. The latest resolution hails the conducting of the Northern Provincial Council election and said it was made possible through “a sustained effort by the Government of Sri Lanka to restore infrastructure in the North and put in place a system for the conduct of the elections.” The resolution by the group of senators says that Sri Lanka has expressed its commitment to address the needs of all ethnic groups and has recognised the necessity of a political settlement and reconciliation for a peaceful and just society.
The senators said this was a “long term process that will need to be driven by the people of Sri Lanka themselves,” clearly distinct phrasing from the former resolution that is likely to be adopted in the senate, which called on the United States and the international community to establish an independent international accountability mechanism to evaluate reports of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations committed by both sides during and after the war in Sri Lanka.
The Senators said that Sri Lanka had been an important partner in the US battle against Indian ocean piracy and terrorism.
The latest resolution notes that Sri Lanka is of great strategic importance to the United States, due to its location, deep-water ports, and proximity to the world’s busiest shipping lanes, an importance noticed and pursued by other significant powers and calls on the US President to develop a “comprehensive and well balanced policy towards Sri Lanka that reflects US interests including respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law as well as economic and security interests.”
The softer resolution calls on the Sri Lankan Government to put in place a South African style Truth and Reconciliation Commission, improve religious and media freedoms and bring to justice those responsible for attacks on journalists and newspaper offices as well as places of worship, regardless of religion.
The latest resolution is co-sponsored by Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Senator Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), Senator John Manchin (D-West Virginia), Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming).
