Sri Lanka Should Start Process of Devolution of Power: US Senator
Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 3:08 pm
The Sri Lankan government should move towards “devolution of power” to provinces in war-ravaged north and east of the country to address the “longstanding and legitimate grievances of the Tamil population,” an influential US lawmaker has said.
“This and other steps are needed to demonstrate that all Sri Lankans can live without fear and participate freely in the political process,” Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, said.
“It must address the longstanding, legitimate grievances of the Tamil population so they can finally enjoy the equal rights and opportunities to which they, like other Sri Lankan citizens, are entitled,” Leahy said in his speech on the situation in Sri Lanka in the Senate on Thursday.
Leahy also termed as unfortunate the recent decision of the UN Human Rights Council to reject calls, including those by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, for international probe into violence against civilians.
He also slammed Sri Lanka for seeking international aid to rebuild the war-torn regions, while terming allegations of human rights violations as a matter of “sovereignty”.
“Sri Lankan government, which seeks international aid to rebuild, insists that what occurred there is an ‘internal’ matter and that for outsiders to call for an independent investigation and justice for victims is an infringement of sovereignty,” he said.
“To the contrary, the denial of basic rights and freedoms is a legitimate concern of people everywhere, whenever it occurs,” Leahy said.
Satisfied that a “long, bloody chapter” in Sri Lanka’s history has ended with defeat of the LTTE, he said the steps the government takes now will determine whether “justice and lasting peace” can be achieved in the war-ravaged region.
“It is the next chapter that will determine whether justice and lasting peace can be achieved. If the Sri Lankan government seizes this opportunity to unite the people in support of an inclusive effort to address causes of conflict, the US will be a strong partner in that effort,” he said.
Welcoming the defeat of LTTE, he said led by a reclusive figure who apparently saw no evil in forcibly recruiting and brainwashing young children to become suicide bombers, the LTTE had long ago forfeited any legitimate claim to represent the interests of the Tamil population.
“This resounding victory offers the possibility after 30 long years of conflict, including ruthless acts of terrorism by the LTTE and other atrocities against civilians by both sides, of lasting peace for all inhabitants of that small island nation,” he said.
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