U.S. Members of Congress have made a valiant push towards reconciliation in Sri Lanka - Tamil spokesman
58 US Legislators Call on Secretary Clinton to Support War Crimes Probe in Sri Lanka
Press Release by Tamil American Peace Initiative
Fifty-eight U.S. Members of Congress have signed a letter urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to call for international investigations into alleged war crimes committed during Sri Lanka’s civil war. The Tamil American Peace Initiative (TAPI) has long supported such a probe. TAPI commends the work of the letter’s co-sponsors, Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Jim McGovern (D-MA), and applauds all of the cosigners for supporting an international war crimes probe.
“We are deeply grateful that the 58 lawmakers made such a strong push for international investigations into war crimes in Sri Lanka,” said TAPI spokesperson Dr. Karunyan Arulanantham. “These Members of Congress are leading the international effort to help build the lasting peace and meaningful reconciliation that Sri Lanka so desperately needs.”
Without transparency or creditability, the Sri Lankan Government's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission has failed to live up to the standards set out by US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice. Because of this, international organizations such as Human Rights Watch, the International Crisis Group, and Amnesty International have all called for international investigations into alleged abuses committed during the conflict in Sri Lanka. Purported crimes include the intentional bombings of civilians, humanitarian organizations, and hospitals; extrajudicial killings; the internment and abuse of unarmed civilians and former combatants; the killing of captives or combatants seeking to surrender; and individual disappearances.
According to their letter, the 58 Congressmen believe that these allegations must be fully investigated. The signatories also expressed doubt about the efficacy of the Sri Lankan Government’s plan to investigate human rights abuses, citing the failed efforts of nine past commissions. The letter maintains that without the verification of an international mechanism conducting an independent investigation, “neither accountability nor trust can be achieved, which are crucially important for any successful reconciliation.”
“These Members have made a valiant push towards reconciliation in Sri Lanka,” said Dr. Arulanantham. “We hope that Secretary Clinton takes heed of the letter and puts her weight behind a robust international investigation.”
About TAPI
The Tamil American Peace Initiative was formed by a group of Tamil Americans to help bring lasting peace, justice, democracy, good governance and economic development to Sri Lanka; to focus attention on the destruction of Tamil communities and culture caused by 30 years of war; and to demand an end to the continuing oppression of Tamils on the island.
8 Comments
This is the same US CONGRESS that passed a Resolution supporting ISRAEL's right to PRE_EMPTIVELY Attack Iran - a country which has not started a war in hundreds of years!
IRONIC that the country that is responsible for the most GLOBAL AGGRESSION and DESTRUCTION is concerned about the Internal conflicts of a small ASIAN country like Sri Lanka. When it comes to what the USA does in the name PEACE, SECURITY, FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY.... there is no question or accountability as all the MILLIONS of TONNES of BOMBS they DROP or BULLETS fired and Millions of LITTLE BROWN PEOPLE they SLAUGHTER, MAIM, DISPLACE, STARVE and GENOCIDE, - it is all A-OK!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
With the recalcitrant/adamant/infelxible/unjust and lying tamil diospora, srilankans living in Sri Lanka has no choice other than to suppress all just demands of tamils including the peservation of traditional tamil lands ... Srilankans have hardened their resolve due to attitudes of tamil diospora ... I do not understand what they are going to achieve? Suppose they are successful in starting a 'war crime' tribnal, all srilankans would unite together and that is the end of achieveing any legitimate grievances in SL ..
United State and the European union have the strength to initiate the war crime probe. Since the Sri Lankan war ended India has stated similar tactic against its own citizen. It is obvious India will continue to oppose any such investigation. If the world continue to maintain silence there will be other countries will join India in eradicating minority whoever ask for equal rights in their home land.
Fully agree with realist. Hopefully, Tamils who really care for a united Sri Lanka and specifically care for their brethren in Sri Lanka will engage with GOSL and the majority Sri Lankans positively rather than being pawns to Western neocolonialists and their strategic geo political interests.
What is needed is truth to be dug out for its own sake - and only that. That is the duty towards our posterity. But if the objective is to punish those who committed the crimes I am not sure where that will lead to. Is it in the interests of reconciliation or will it further foster disharmony? I hope the wise counsel among the Tamil intellectuals will prevail. If the past experience is a guide I am pessimistic that Tamil leaders will act in the interests of the poor Tamils who are destined to be trapped in that small island(They sent cyanide capsules to their own children and refrained from asking LTTE to release the civilians to flee). Let us ask KP to start with.
UN formed a panel to advice its Secretary General on possible war crime and accountability issues in this Island. US is already supporting the UN’s Effort. The problem is, GoSL is not yet positively recognized this international humanitarian concern. I welcome any attempt to pressurize the GoSL to accept and coporate with the UN’s paneland I appreciate the commenter Soma’s views on this matter.
An Eelam citizen
No gun fire. No kidnapping. No murders in Sri lanka now. Are these US guys want to "punish" a government which stopped gunfires, murders, suicide bombings?
Are these US guys feeling a "LOST" in their war material productions?
To those who wonder: the US policy is always consistent: murderers are murderers, and bring them to justice, be it Saddam Hussein from soverign nation Iraq or Hitler from another soverign nation