in Engagement with Sri Lanka
by US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair & Ranking Member, December 3, 2021
Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Gregory W. Meeks and Michael McCaul, Chair and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Administration to prioritize in its Sri Lanka Policy the importance of a substantive and durable political solution.
Excerpts of the letter can be found below, and the full letter can be found here:
Dear Secretary Blinken:
“Since the end of Sri Lanka’s almost 30-year civil war, this committee has demonstrated an interest in ensuring that U.S. policy continue to support reconciliation and accountability, while also addressing the root causes of the conflict. We strongly urge the State Department to re-focus its efforts in Sri Lanka to emphasize the importance of a substantive and durable political solution.
“The United States has rightly championed justice and human rights in Sri Lanka. Advancing these values will require solutions to political questions that remain unanswered years after the end of the civil war, including the meaningful devolution of power in an undivided Sri Lanka. We urge the Department to support the government’s engagement with opposition parties, including Tamils and Muslims, to find such solutions.
“While the Sri Lankan people should lead the debate, the Department should make it clear that the United States stands ready to support and facilitate this effort. Ultimately, however, it is imperative that any outcome is determined by and meets the needs of all citizens in Sri Lanka, including the Tamil and Muslim people.”