Congressional Hearing on Unrest in Sri Lanka [cont.]
March 15, 2006
U.S. House International Relations Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
Holds Hearing on Unrest in Nepal and Sri Lanka
Edited Transcript with Nepal text deleted
FALEOMAVAEGA: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Camp.
LEACH: Mr. Sherman?
SHERMAN: Thanks for holding these hearings.
I'm going to focus on Sri Lanka - . I've urged the State Department to
design a road map for the Tamil Tigers, so that they would know what steps
they would need to take to get off the terrorist list.
The response has been, well, we don't do that, which basically means that
we're not acting to encourage the Tamil Tigers to improve their behavior.
Perhaps deputy -- principal deputy assistant secretary -- you could outline
here what actions do we want the Tamil Tigers to take or refrain from.
CAMP: Actually, I think it's fairly straightforward.
The LTTE was put on the terrorist list, because of their violent activities.
What they would need to do would be to basically renounce terrorism,
renounce violence in...
SHERMAN: What is the difference between terrorism on the one hand, and
waging a legitimate guerrilla struggle on the other? What is the difference
between Al Qaida and George Washington?
CAMP: If I could...
SHERMAN: (inaudible) George Washington did use violence.
CAMP: Last I checked, though, he did not blow up buildings with civilians. I
mean, the LTTE has been famous for its attacks, its suicide bomb attacks on
civilian targets.
SHERMAN: Well, obviously...
CAMP: And that makes a real difference.
SHERMAN: Obviously, when you focus on civilian targets, that's terrorism,
when that's the deliberate objective of your behavior.
CAMP: And I also have to add that, as far as the United States government is
concerned, I mean, the Sri Lankan government is a sovereign government that
we recognize. We support that government and its territorial integrity.
So, the LTTE, to call them a legitimate organization...
SHERMAN: Wait a minute. Are you saying that if there was a country in Europe
during our revolution that didn't recognize the independence of the United
States, they would have had to view George Washington as a terrorist, simply
because they didn't agree with his objectives?
CAMP: I'm simply saying that we support the Sri Lankan government as a
legitimate government of the country of Sri Lanka - . We see the LTTE as a
terrorist organization.
SHERMAN: And if they were to stop targeting civilians, what would be our
policy?
CAMP: If they were to clearly renounce terrorism and stop carrying out those
attacks, then I think, once we were convinced that they are sincere, then we
can look at their terrorist listing. But they have not given us any reason
to be generous about their motives, let's put it that way, sir.
SHERMAN: Well, their motives, in the sense of what their political
objectives are, were sufficient to enter into a peace process. Terrorism is
not a matter of motives; it's a matter of tactics.
There are those who long for a universal caliphate, but they don't kill
civilians to achieve it. We don't call them terrorists just because their
stated objective is similar to that of Mr. bin Laden. Terrorism is a tactic;
it's not an objective.
I have simply been -- well, I was frankly disturbed by that reaction. The
LTTE has made a number of statements to renounce terrorism. And we have
taken the IRA off the terrorist list. We took Fatah off the terrorist list,
or the Palestinian Authority of the PLO -- whichever incarnation they had
prior to losing control of the Palestinian Authority.
And I would hope that we would start telling these groups what we want from
them, with the expectation that if they deliver, they will get off the
terrorist list. And I do think, though, it's legitimate to take a look at
their objectives, as well as their tactics, as one consideration.
I would think that seeking some degree of autonomy for northeast Sri Lanka -
is not a terrible objective.
Perhaps you -- where do you think we're headed in Sri Lanka - ? Are we
headed for another round of war?
CAMP: I guess I'm a little more optimistic now that they've returned to
peace talks. It's been four years -- well, three years since the talks broke
off. The fact that the two sides are talking again has to be a reason for
optimism.
They've got a ways to go, but I think the government in Sri Lanka - is
committed to looking for a peaceful way out of this. And I think everyone is
tired of 23 years of war.
SHERMAN: The government has taken substantial action to prevent aid from
reaching the parts of the island that were most affected by the tsunami,
namely the northeast, which generally supports the Tamil Tigers, the LTTE.
What has the United States done to make sure that aid that's supposed to go
to individuals is not interrupted for political reasons?
CAMP: I would -- I guess I would say that the government of Sri Lanka - made
efforts to in fact make sure that aid was not only equitably delivered, but
it would seem to be equitably delivered. And their attempt to establish this
mechanism, with which they reached agreement on the LTTE -- a fairly
significant achievement that took quite awhile -- was thrown out in the
courts. Therefore, they've had to find other mechanisms.
I think I would take issue with the idea that they have actively attempted
to prevent tsunami assistance from reaching the northeast.
SHERMAN: I think a government is responsible for all three branches of its
government. For example, Saddam Hussein is on trial, because his
revolutionary courts decided to execute 152 people, 148 people.
And I would hate to think that we take the position that it's OK to disrupt
tsunami relief as long as it's done by the judicial branch of the Colombo
government, and not the executive branch of the Colombo government.
Countries are responsible for their own constitutions and their own -- and
all three branches of the government. So, I would hope that we would do more
to say it is not an acceptable excuse to say, people on the ground aren't
getting the aid that the world has generously provided, because, oh, it's a
different branch of your government.
I yield back. And I'd point out to the chairman, who also serves with me on
the Financial Services Committee, that I need to go there, and he may have
to, as well.
LEACH:
OK. Fair enough. I appreciate the advice.
Nepal text deleted
Do you have anything else?
FALEOMAVAEGA:
No, Mr. Chairman.
LEACH:
Let me thank you very much. We have problems of commitments to other committees, as well as the Congress. We thank you for your testimony. We appreciate it very much.
CAMP:
Thank you very much.
LEACH:
The committee is adjourned.
List of Speakers
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JAMES A. LEACH (R-IA) CHAIRMAN
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DAN BURTON, (R-IN) VICE CHAIRMAN
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ELTON GALLEGLY (R-CA)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DANA ROHRABACHER (R-CA)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE STEVE CHABOT (R-OH)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE RON PAUL (R-TX)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JOE WILSON (R-SC)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE HENRY J. HYDE (R-IL) EX OFFICIO
U.S. DELEGATE ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA (D-AS) RANKING MEMBER
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SHERROD BROWN (D-OH)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE EARL BLUMENAUER (D-OR)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DIANE E. WATSON (D-CA)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ADAM SMITH (D-WA)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE GARY L. ACKERMAN (D-NY)
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TOM LANTOS (D-CA) EX OFFICIO WITNESSES:
DONALD CAMP, PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SOUTH ASIAN AFFAIRS, BUREAU OF SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIAN AFFAIRS, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
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