Commends United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for creating the three-person panel to advise the Secretary-General on the implementation of the government of Sri Lanka's commitment to human rights accountability.
Urges the government of Sri Lanka, the international community, and the United Nations (U.N.) to establish an independent international accountability mechanism to look into reports of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations committed by both sides during and after the war in Sri Lanka.
Urges the government of Sri Lanka to allow humanitarian organizations, aid agencies, journalists, and international human rights groups greater freedom of movement, including in internally-displaced persons camps.
Insists that the President develop a policy towards Sri Lanka that reflects U.S. interests.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 177 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 177
Expressing support for internal rebuilding, resettlement, and
reconciliation within Sri Lanka that are necessary to ensure a lasting
peace.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 17, 2011
Mr. Grimm submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for internal rebuilding, resettlement, and
reconciliation within Sri Lanka that are necessary to ensure a lasting
peace.
Whereas May 19, 2010, marked the one-year anniversary of the end of the 26-year
conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the
Government of Sri Lanka;
Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka established a Lessons Learned and
Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to report whether any person, group, or
institution directly or indirectly bears responsibility for incidents
that occurred between February 2002 and May 2009 and to recommend
measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future and
promote further national unity and reconciliation among all communities;
Whereas United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed a panel of
experts, including Marzuki Darusman, the former attorney general of
Indonesia, Yazmin Sooka, a member of South Africa's Truth and
Reconciliation Commission, and Steven Ratner, a lawyer in the United
States specializing in human rights and international law, to advise the
Secretary-General on the implementation of the commitment of the
Government of Sri Lanka to human rights accountability;
Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka expressed its commitment to addressing the
needs of all ethnic groups and has recognized, in the past, the
necessity of a political settlement and reconciliation for a peaceful
and just society;
Whereas the United States Government has yet to develop a comprehensive United
States policy toward Sri Lanka that reflects the broad range of human
rights, national security, and economic interests; and
Whereas progress on domestic and international investigations into reports of
war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations
during the conflict and promoting reconciliation would facilitate
enhanced United States engagement and investment in Sri Lanka: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commends United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
for creating the three-person panel to advise the Secretary-
General on the implementation of the commitment of the
Government of Sri Lanka to human rights accountability;
(2) urges the Government of Sri Lanka, the international
community, and the United Nations to establish an independent
international accountability mechanism to look into reports of
war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights
violations committed by both sides during and after the war in
Sri Lanka and to make recommendations regarding accountability;
(3) urges the Government of Sri Lanka to allow humanitarian
organizations, aid agencies, journalists, and international
human rights groups greater freedom of movement, including in
internally displaced persons camps; and
(4) insists that the President develop a comprehensive
policy towards Sri Lanka that reflects United States interests,
including respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of
law, economic interests, and security interests.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia .
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