[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 311 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 311

   Expressing support for the people of Sri Lanka in the wake of the 
 tsunami and the assassination of the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister and 
  urging support and respect for free and fair elections in Sri Lanka.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 14, 2005

    Mr. McCain (for himself and Mr. Biden) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for the people of Sri Lanka in the wake of the 
 tsunami and the assassination of the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister and 
  urging support and respect for free and fair elections in Sri Lanka.

Whereas, on December 26, 2004, Sri Lanka was struck by a tsunami that left some 
        30,000 dead and hundreds of thousands of people homeless;
Whereas the United States and the world community recognized the global 
        importance of preventing that tragedy from spiraling into an 
        uncontrolled disaster and sent aid to Sri Lanka to provide immediate 
        relief;
Whereas the massive tsunami reconstruction effort in Sri Lanka creates 
        significant challenges for that country's struggling democracy;
Whereas the democratic process in Sri Lanka is further challenged by the refusal 
        of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a group that the Secretary of 
        State has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, to renounce 
        violence as a means of effecting political change;
Whereas, on August 12, 2005, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakhsman Kadirgamar 
        was assassinated at his home in Colombo in a brutal terrorist act that 
        has been widely attributed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam by 
        officials in Sri Lanka, the United States, and other countries;
Whereas democratic elections are scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka on November 
        17, 2005;
Whereas nondemocratic foreign powers and private sources have reportedly been 
        aiding and funding various political factions in Sri Lanka, including 
        both extremist Sinhalese and extremist Tamil parties or groups; and
Whereas the United States has an interest in a free and fair democratic process 
        in Sri Lanka, and the peaceful resolution of the insurgency that has 
        afflicted Sri Lanka for more than two decades: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses its support for the people of Sri Lanka as 
        they recover from the devastating tsunami that occurred on 
        December 26, 2004, and the assassination of the Sri Lankan 
        Foreign Minister Lakhsman Kadirgamar on August 12, 2005;
            (2) expresses its support for the courageous decision by 
        the democratically-elected Government of Sri Lanka, following 
        the assassination of Foreign Minister Kadirgamar, to remain in 
        discussions with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in an 
        attempt to resolve peacefully the issues facing the people of 
        Sri Lanka;
            (3) urges all parties in Sri Lanka to remain committed to 
        the negotiating process and to make every possible attempt at 
        national reconciliation; and
            (4) urges all outside parties, including governments of 
        foreign countries, private individuals, and other 
        organizations, to support and respect a free and fair 
        democratic process in the Sri Lankan elections scheduled to be 
        held on November 17, 2005, and to work to prevent extremist 
        groups in Sri Lanka from interfering with that process.
                                 <all>