[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 14 (Wednesday, February 8, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SRI LANKA PEACE PROCESS RESOLUTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to ask that my 
colleagues join me in supporting a resolution I introduced today that 
urges the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil 
Eelam to engage positively in peace talks. I am deeply concerned about 
the ongoing violence caused by terrorism in Sri Lanka. The Liberation 
Tigers of Tamil, also known as the Tamil Tigers, is a group designated 
by the United States State Department as a terrorist organization. I 
hope this body can express its disapproval of the violence and instead 
voice full support for the resumption of constructive peace talks 
between both sides.
  For over two decades, there has been armed strife between the 
Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers, costing an estimated 
65,000 lives. In a breakthrough agreement brokered by Norway back in 
2002, the Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers signed a cease-
fire. Unfortunately, the Tamil Tigers have committed a number of 
violations, and the peace process has broken down.
  On August 12, 2005, Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister was brutally 
assassinated by a sniper, and it has been widely acknowledged that the 
LTTE members had targeted him for some time. Though LTTE has denied any 
involvement, past history demonstrates that the group never claims 
responsibility for their crimes. There is now clear evidence, for 
example, that the Tamil Tigers ordered assassinations of India's Prime 
Minister Rajiv Gandhi, President R. Premadasa, and others. These 
patterns indicate that the Tamil Tigers were likely involved in Mr. 
Kadirgamar's assassination.
  In addition to the death of Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister, the Sri 
Lanka Monitoring Mission has recorded over 3,000 violations of the 
cease-fire agreement by the Tamil Tigers. These violations include 
assassinations and abductions, particularly the forcible abduction of 
children for armed combat and kidnapping individuals for ransom.
  This past December marked the bloodiest month since the cease-fire 
agreement came into effect in 2002. Nearly 70 people, about 40 of them 
from the Sri Lanka Army and Navy, have been killed as a result of the 
Tamil Tigers' guerilla actions. The Tamil Tigers continue to follow 
their past policy of denying any responsibility for these actions.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important that the U.S. continue to reject the 
actions and violent tactics of the Tamil Tigers and apply international 
pressure to request that they begin conducting themselves in a 
responsible and credible manner. We must insist that the Tamil Tigers 
demonstrate a willingness to change, abstain from violence, and 
establish their commitment to the peace process.
  The recent pledge to continue peace talks in February in Geneva, 
Switzerland, is encouraging, but it must include positive engagement by 
both parties. It is necessary that the Government of Sri Lanka and the 
Tamil Tigers renegotiate a cease-fire agreement and implement the 
agreement in a productive and successful manner so the hostilities do 
not resume. Without progress at the negotiating table, there is a real 
threat of another armed conflict.
  Mr. Speaker, Sri Lanka is Asia's oldest democracy and remains a close 
friend of the United States. As the founder and current cochair of the 
Congressional Caucus on Sri Lanka, I encourage the Bush administration 
to take the steps necessary to support Sri Lanka during these trying 
times and continue to strengthen ties between the United States and Sri 
Lanka.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in cosponsoring this 
resolution. Congress must convey the importance of a constructive peace 
process and urge both parties to cooperative in good faith in order to 
find a fair and lasting resolution to Sri Lanka's armed conflict. It is 
time we ensure peace in Sri Lanka as well as greater stability 
throughout the South Asia region.

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