[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 711 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 711

Calling on the United States Government and the international community 
to address the human rights and humanitarian needs of Sri Lanka's Tamil 
internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently living in government-run 
    camps by supporting the release of such IDPs, implementing and 
  facilitating an independent oversight of the process of release and 
  resettlement, and allowing foreign aid groups to provide relief and 
                        resources to such IDPs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2009

   Mr. Davis of Illinois (for himself and Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Calling on the United States Government and the international community 
to address the human rights and humanitarian needs of Sri Lanka's Tamil 
internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently living in government-run 
    camps by supporting the release of such IDPs, implementing and 
  facilitating an independent oversight of the process of release and 
  resettlement, and allowing foreign aid groups to provide relief and 
                        resources to such IDPs.

Whereas May 2009 marked the conclusion of the 26-year struggle between the 
        Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan Government, 
        and Sri Lankan Government committed itself to caring for and ensuring 
        the speedy return of the civilians internally displaced as a result of 
        the fighting;
Whereas the Sri Lankan Government is seeking to identify former combatants who 
        were part of the LTTE and as part of the vetting process the Sri Lankan 
        Government has set up make-shift camps to house over 280,000 internally 
        displaced persons (IDPs) who fled their homes as the war drew to an end;
Whereas as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council 11th Special Session 
        on Sri Lanka held on May 27, 2009, the Sri Lankan Government made 
        commitments to the world to improve the conditions for the people housed 
        in the camps and stated that the ``bulk'' of the IDPs would be resettled 
        within 180 days;
Whereas the first 60 days of this resettlement process, as committed to by the 
        Sri Lankan Government, has passed and the Sri Lankan Government is still 
        detaining over 280,000 IDPs in 30 military-guarded camps in the four 
        northern districts of Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, and Trincomalee;
Whereas allegations are being reported that the current and actual standard of 
        treatment and living conditions afforded to IDPs is grossly wanting when 
        compared to the principles set as standards by the United Nations Office 
        for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for guiding states and 
        organizations dealing with internally displaced populations;
Whereas Human Rights Watch believes that the Sri Lankan Government should 
        immediately release the more than 280,000 Tamil IDPs held in detention 
        camps since March 2008; and
Whereas principles, established by the United Nations Office for the 
        Coordination of Human Affairs, for sufficient provision of equal 
        treatment, family reunification, access to essential food and water, 
        sanitation, healthcare, education, safety, acknowledgment of the special 
        needs for vulnerabilities of children and women are not yet met: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the Sri Lankan Government to guarantee the safety 
        and speedy release of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 
        camps and to ensure the rights and privileges of these refugees 
        in the reestablishment of their homes and properties;
            (2) calls on the Sri Lankan Government to turn the 
        operation of the camps over to civilian authorities and allow 
        the day to day presence of international government agencies, 
        the International Committee of the Red Cross, and independent 
        nongovernmental organizations to assist in the care of the 
        IDPs;
            (3) calls on the Sri Lankan Government to allow an 
        independent group to assess the accuracy of the allegations of 
        large numbers of deaths, diseases, and sicknesses due to poor 
        sanitation and inappropriate healthcare in the camps containing 
        the IDPs and to prepare a plan of action to resolve the 
        problems;
            (4) request the Sri Lankan Government to establish 
        reasonable conditions to allow foreign agencies access to the 
        IDPs and to ensure the rebuilding process of war torn areas in 
        Sri Lanka; and
            (5) urges the Tamil people to continue to be patient while 
        the government reestablishes normalcy and urges the Sri Lankan 
        Government to move forward in creating political reforms that 
        will resolve the political concerns of the Tamil people.
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