Sri Lanka's Civilians

SRI LANKA'S CIVILIANS -- (House of Representatives - January 18, 2007)

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to bring attention to the full blown violence taking place in Sri Lanka. The last round of talks in Geneva ended up in a failure, and there are no signs of new negotiations. There is no peaceful solution in sight, and it is the civilians who are desperately suffering.

Since 1983, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been in a military confrontation with the Government of Sri Lanka to win a separate ethnic minority Tamil state. Since last April, more than 200,000 people have been displaced from their homes by the escalation in violence and insecurity. And this is in addition to more than 310,000 people who were displaced previously due to the conflict.

Now, because of this violence, the main highway connecting the two major areas in the north and east region of the country is closed, forcing civilians to use tortuous routes to reach safety. In recent months about 20,000 people have fled through jungles and treacherous waterways towards the government-controlled territory.

Thousands who have not fled are trapped in eastern Sri Lanka and caught between the intense crossfire. Every day there are more news stories highlighting the increasing casualties among the civilian populations, especially children and young adults. Violence continues in other parts of the island nation as well. And many civilians have been killed in air raids and bus bombings in recent weeks. Families live in constant fear, anxiously hoping for their security.

Now, meanwhile, Madam Speaker, access for humanitarian agencies has been a growing problem over the past year. Civilians in Jaffna in the north and in the affected districts of the east have had great difficulty obtaining necessary food and medical supplies.

Both the government and the Tigers should commit to providing humanitarian agencies with unregulated access and full support.

Madam Speaker, the army says the civilians are being used as human shields by the Tamil Tigers. The Tigers deny this claim and accuse the army of targeting civilians to facilitate their forthcoming offensive. And regardless of blame, innocent civilians are dying.

After nearly 25 years of violence, it is clear: there can be no military solution to the conflict. A negotiated political settlement must be reached, and that one will have to be fair to all of the ethnic communities living in the country of Sri Lanka.

I am deeply troubled by the worsening situation in Sri Lanka, Madam Speaker, and it must be addressed by the United States. I commend the commitment by the Bush administration to provide funding for refugees, but I strongly urge President Bush to further U.S. involvement to help secure a lasting peace.

Last week I added my name to a letter urging President Bush to appoint a special envoy for Sri Lanka. The letter is being circulated by my friend from New Jersey, Mr. Rush Holt. And I urge my colleagues to also sign on. By naming a special envoy, the U.S. can create a personal monitoring presence in the country and make recommendations for steps to lead to peace. Sri Lanka, more than ever before, needs U.S. engagement.

http://thomas.loc.gov/