[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 10 (Thursday, January 18, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H735]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SRI LANKA'S CIVILIANS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Sutton). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to bring attention to 
the full blown violence taking place in Sri Lanka. The last round of 
talks in Geneva ended up in a failure, and there are no signs of new 
negotiations. There is no peaceful solution in sight, and it is the 
civilians who are desperately suffering.
  Since 1983, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been in a 
military confrontation with the Government of Sri Lanka to win a 
separate ethnic minority Tamil state. Since last April, more than 
200,000 people have been displaced from their homes by the escalation 
in violence and insecurity. And this is in addition to more than 
310,000 people who were displaced previously due to the conflict.
  Now, because of this violence, the main highway connecting the two 
major areas in the north and east region of the country is closed, 
forcing civilians to use tortuous routes to reach safety. In recent 
months about 20,000 people have fled through jungles and treacherous 
waterways towards the government-controlled territory.
  Thousands who have not fled are trapped in eastern Sri Lanka and 
caught between the intense crossfire. Every day there are more news 
stories highlighting the increasing casualties among the civilian 
populations, especially children and young adults. Violence continues 
in other parts of the island nation as well. And many civilians have 
been killed in air raids and bus bombings in recent weeks. Families 
live in constant fear, anxiously hoping for their security.
  Now, meanwhile, Madam Speaker, access for humanitarian agencies has 
been a growing problem over the past year. Civilians in Jaffna in the 
north and in the affected districts of the east have had great 
difficulty obtaining necessary food and medical supplies.
  Both the government and the Tigers should commit to providing 
humanitarian agencies with unregulated access and full support.
  Madam Speaker, the army says the civilians are being used as human 
shields by the Tamil Tigers. The Tigers deny this claim and accuse the 
army of targeting civilians to facilitate their forthcoming offensive. 
And regardless of blame, innocent civilians are dying.
  After nearly 25 years of violence, it is clear: there can be no 
military solution to the conflict. A negotiated political settlement 
must be reached, and that one will have to be fair to all of the ethnic 
communities living in the country of Sri Lanka.
  I am deeply troubled by the worsening situation in Sri Lanka, Madam 
Speaker, and it must be addressed by the United States. I commend the 
commitment by the Bush administration to provide funding for refugees, 
but I strongly urge President Bush to further U.S. involvement to help 
secure a lasting peace.
  Last week I added my name to a letter urging President Bush to 
appoint a special envoy for Sri Lanka. The letter is being circulated 
by my friend from New Jersey, Mr. Rush Holt. And I urge my colleagues 
to also sign on. By naming a special envoy, the U.S. can create a 
personal monitoring presence in the country and make recommendations 
for steps to lead to peace. Sri Lanka, more than ever before, needs 
U.S. engagement.

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