David Price

“ On this anniversary of the end of the civil war, I call on the government of Sri Lanka to act earnestly and expeditiously to grant safe passage home to the approximately 80,000 Tamil civilians who remain confined to camps, provide ex-combatants with appropriate legal recourse and a path toward reintegration, and end its restrictions on humanitarian and media organizations. It is also past time for the international community to pursue real accountability, including a credible, independent investigation into the potential abuses committed during the 2009 conflict. ”

“ I urge the Obama Administration to play a leading role in this effort by calling for an investigation at the United Nations and maintaining current restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance to Sri Lanka until the government has demonstrated credible progress toward meeting the international community’s demands.
If we do not act soon, this moment of opportunity for lasting peace, justice and reconciliation–which seemed so promising one year ago–may slip away forever. ”

“ It has also become apparent that the Sri Lankan military may have committed serious abuses during the fighting itself, including the indiscriminate shelling of areas designated as civilian safe zones. A growing number of respected human rights organizations–including the International Crisis Group, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch–have called for an independent international investigation into potential war crimes, yet the Sri Lankan government has yet to open any meaningful inquiry into the allegations. ”