U.S. Nominates Member for the Independent International Group of Eminent Persons

by US Embassy for Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, December 22, 2006:  The United States Government welcomes the Government of Sri Lanka's efforts to establish a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.  In support of this critical initiative, the United States has nominated Arthur E. "Gene" Dewey to the Independent International Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP).  A former Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, Mr. Dewey will join renowned human rights experts from several other countries to observe and report, at the invitation of the Government of Sri Lanka, on the work of the Commission of Inquiry.

Gene Dewey served as Assistant Secretary of State in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration from 2002 to 2005.  In that capacity, he was responsible for overseeing United States Government policies and financial allocations regarding population, refugee protection and resettlement, international migration issues, and humanitarian assistance programs.  A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and Princeton University, Mr. Dewey has also worked with military theater commands in Latin America, Europe, and Asia to bring realistic political and humanitarian dimensions into military training exercises.  In addition, he has served as Chief of the U.S. Army’s Political-Military Division in the Pentagon and in Geneva as the United Nations’ Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees and Assistant Secretary General.  

Upon Mr. Dewey's nomination, United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake stated: "I am pleased to note the fruitful cooperation between the Government of Sri Lanka, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the international community to establish the IIGEP.  Gene Dewey will make an informed contribution to this important undertaking.   We expect the Commission of Inquiry to investigate human rights crimes and make recommendations to the Government of Sri Lanka on bringing the perpetrators of serious human rights violations to justice and on adopting measures to prevent the reoccurrence of such violations.  We fully support the Government of Sri Lanka's efforts to address the protection of human rights for all citizens of Sri Lanka."

We hope that the Commission and the IIGEP will help foster widespread respect for human rights in Sri Lanka.