US to impress upon Sri Lanka on need to respect human rights

The United States (US) says is will continue to impress upon Sri Lanka on the need to respect human rights.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary from the Bureau for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice G. Wells said that the US stands with Sri Lanka in investigating the Easter Sunday attacks and strengthening its counterterrorism capabilities.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation quickly deployed at the request of the Sri Lankan Government, and helped dismantle the local terrorist organizations that carried out these attacks,” she said.

Alice G. Wells said this is a written statement submitted to the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee for Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation which was meeting today to discuss ?U.S. Interests in South Asia and the FY 2020 Budget?.

She further noted that the US is assessing ways in which they can support the Sri Lankan Government while it re-orients its security apparatus toward addressing international terrorism, and will continue to impress upon Sri Lanka the need to respect human rights, including for members of minority groups, refugees, and asylum seekers.

Similarly, she said that as Sri Lanka heads into national elections, the United States will continue to urge that Sri Lanka maintain progress on post-conflict reconciliation, justice, and accountability, and adhere to its international human rights obligations and commitments.

Our request also provides economic assistance to help insulate Sri Lanka from dependency and economic manipulation by other states, she added.

The Trump administration has sought $30 million for the “Bay of Bengal” security initiative to provide foreign military financing to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives.

This is in addition to the $64 million already announced by the Trump administration for regional activities to support infrastructure growth and connectivity. (Colombo Gazette)

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