[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 247 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 247

     Expressing support for internal rebuilding, resettlement, and 
reconciliation within Sri Lanka that are necessary to ensure a lasting 
                                 peace.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2013

 Mr. Grimm (for himself, Mr. Johnson of Ohio, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Holt, 
Mr. Lance, and Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Expressing support for internal rebuilding, resettlement, and 
reconciliation within Sri Lanka that are necessary to ensure a lasting 
                                 peace.

Whereas it has been 4 years since the end of the 26-year long conflict between 
        the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which was declared a 
        foreign terrorist organization in 1997, and the Government of Sri Lanka;
Whereas the people of Sri Lanka suffered greatly as a result of this conflict, 
        the impact, and aftermath of which has been felt especially by women, 
        children, and families;
Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka established a Lessons Learnt and 
        Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to report whether any person, group, or 
        institution directly or indirectly bears responsibility for incidents 
        that occurred between February 2002 and May 2009, and to recommend 
        measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future and 
        promote further national unity and reconciliation among all communities;
Whereas the LLRC report was presented to the Sri Lankan Parliament on December 
        16, 2011, and officially translated into Sinhala and Tamil on August 16, 
        2012, and took note of the LLRC report's possible contribution to the 
        process of national reconciliation in Sri Lanka;
Whereas the LLRC report acknowledges important events and grievances that have 
        contributed to decades of political violence and civil war in Sri Lanka 
        and makes constructive recommendations on a wide range of issues, 
        including the need to credibly investigate widespread allegations of 
        extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and intentional 
        targeting of civilians and noncombatants, demilitarizing the north and 
        the country as a whole, reaching a political settlement with minority 
        communities on the meaningful devolution of power, and promoting and 
        protecting the right to freedom of expression for all through the 
        enactment of a right to information law and additional rule of law 
        reforms;
Whereas the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and other 
        governments and intergovernmental organizations have called on the 
        Government of Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of its own LLRC 
        Report;
Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka expressed its commitment to address the 
        needs of all ethnic groups, notably the Tamils and Muslims, and has 
        recognized, in the past, the necessity of a political settlement and 
        reconciliation for a peaceful and just society;
Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka has developed the National Plan of Action to 
        implement some of the 285 recommendations of the LLRC;
Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka has made progress on rehabilitation, 
        resettlement of displaced persons, and improvement of infrastructure in 
        the north and east;
Whereas the LLRC noted that the failure of successive governments to implement 
        the ``critical recommendations of past commissions gives rise to 
        understandable criticism and skepticism regarding Government appointed 
        Commissions from which the LLRC has not been spared'';
Whereas progress on investigations into reports of war crimes, crimes against 
        humanity, and other human rights violations during the conflict and 
        promoting reconciliation would facilitate enhanced United States 
        engagement, bilateral trade, and investment in Sri Lanka and coincide 
        with United States policy that such commissions of inquiry have been 
        instrumental in providing accountability and redressing wrongdoing 
        during periods of internal strife;
Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka's failure to conduct a credible 
        investigation into alleged war crimes and human rights abuses committed 
        by all sides and to implement its own stated priorities of post-conflict 
        reconciliation, accountability, and reform as set forth by the LLRC 
        precludes a lasting settlement and encourages continued national strife 
        that has the potential to further destabilize a region vital to United 
        States diplomatic and strategic interests;
Whereas a firm statement advocating for truth, justice, and accountability into 
        continued reports of militarization, kidnapping and intimidation, and 
        extrajudicial killings since the cessation of conflict in 2009 comports 
        with statements and recommendations by key figures, experts, and 
        institutions in the international community as exemplified by the United 
        Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay's February 11, 
        2013, report calling for an ``independent and credible international 
        investigation into alleged violations of international human rights and 
        humanitarian law'', and also reaffirms central rhetorical and 
        institutional commitments supported by the United States and its allies, 
        particularly the March 21, 2013, United Nations Human Rights Council 
        resolution echoing the conclusions of Commissioner Pillay's report and 
        advocating for the ``establishment of a truth-seeking mechanism as an 
        integral part of a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to 
        transitional justice'';
Whereas a statement urging the Government of Sri Lanka to follow through on its 
        own recommendations in a transparent, timely manner conforms with the 
        obligations of the United States and all nations to advocate for peace 
        and stability in the international community without infringing upon the 
        sovereignty of the Government of Sri Lanka or expressing a sense of 
        support for any party in the conflict; and
Whereas the United States is home to a large community of ethnic Sri Lankans and 
        expatriates outside of Sri Lanka, many of which have a salient, 
        emotional interest in a meaningful resolution to the country's violence 
        and political turmoil: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to build on its 
        establishment of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation 
        Commission (LLRC) and that Commission's constructive 
        recommendations on issues of paramount importance to Sri Lanka 
        in a credible, transparent, and expeditious manner;
            (2) recognizes that the LLRC report did not adequately 
        address issues of accountability for both the Government of Sri 
        Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), for 
        credible allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity;
            (3) calls for the establishment of a credible, 
        international, independent accountability mechanism to look 
        into allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and 
        other human rights violations committed by all sides during and 
        after the war in Sri Lanka, and to make recommendations 
        regarding accountability;
            (4) encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to allow for 
        greater media freedoms and ensure the protection of 
        journalists;
            (5) urges the Government of Sri Lanka to allow humanitarian 
        organizations and international human rights groups greater 
        access to the war-affected, including rehabilitated ex-LTTE 
        cadres, and those detained;
            (6) acknowledges the end of the war and calls on the 
        Government of Sri Lanka to prioritize a process of 
        demilitarization throughout the country; and
            (7) acknowledges the importance for parties to reach a 
        political settlement on the meaningful decentralization of 
        power and power-sharing.
                                 <all>