[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 26579-26582]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CALLING ON THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF 
             SRI LANKA'S TAMIL INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (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, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 711

       Whereas May 2009 marked the conclusion of the 26-year 
     struggle between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), 
     a State Department designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, 
     and the Government of Sri Lanka, and the Government of Sri 
     Lanka committed itself to caring for and ensuring the speedy 
     return of the civilians internally displaced as a result of 
     the fighting;
       Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka is seeking to identify 
     former combatants who were part of the LTTE and as part of 
     the vetting process the Government of Sri Lanka has set up 
     make-shift camps that initially housed over 280,000 
     internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled their homes as 
     the war drew to an end;

[[Page 26580]]

       Whereas of those 280,000 internally displaced persons at 
     the end of the war, approximately 10,000 of those individuals 
     are being separately held by the Government of Sri Lanka as 
     former combatants or on suspicion of having supported the 
     LTTE;
       Whereas as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council 
     11th Special Session on Sri Lanka held on May 27, 2009, the 
     Government of Sri Lanka made commitments to the world to 
     improve the conditions for the civilians housed in the camps 
     and stated that the ``bulk'' of the IDPs would be resettled 
     within 180 days;
       Whereas as of October 23, 2009, over 51,000 IDPs have been 
     released from the closed camps in the Vanni, and of those 
     36,000 have been returned to their districts of origin and 
     found accommodation in their own homes or, pending return to 
     their homes, with host families and in vacant houses of 
     friends or relatives; and over 16,000 IDPs of special 
     categories, such as the elderly, pregnant women and their 
     families, priests, students, or people of special needs, have 
     been released to host families or institutions;
       Whereas as of October 23, 2009, some 220,000 civilian IDPs 
     still remain in military-guarded camps in the four northern 
     districts of Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, and Trincomalee;
       Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka has announced that it 
     would facilitate in the next few weeks the voluntary return 
     of over 40,000 civilian IDPs by the end of October and 60,000 
     per month of the remaining IDPs in the camps;
       Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka has made some progress 
     in easing camp congestion, registering IDPs, expanding access 
     to humanitarian organizations, and demining the north, but 
     much remains to be done to improve humanitarian conditions, 
     particularly before the onset of the monsoon season;
       Whereas the United States is urging the safe and speedy 
     return of civilian IDPs, continued access for international 
     humanitarian organizations, and the registration and 
     provision of national identification cards to IDPs, to help 
     promote freedom of movement; and
       Whereas the United States supports the rapid release and 
     voluntary return of all civilian IDPs as a critical element 
     of national reconciliation in Sri Lanka: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) urges the Government of Sri Lanka, consistent with its 
     obligation to provide security for all of its citizens, to 
     expeditiously allow freedom of movement for civilian 
     internally displaced persons (IDPs) to leave their camps 
     voluntarily and return in safety and dignity to their homes 
     or, where that is not possible, to live with host families or 
     move to open transit sites;
       (2) calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that IDP 
     camps are truly civilian in nature and administered by 
     civilian authorities, rather than under military supervision, 
     and give full access to national and international 
     humanitarian organizations and observers, including the 
     International Committee of the Red Cross, in order to monitor 
     the situation and to assist in the care of IDPs; and
       (3) urges the Government of Sri Lanka to promote justice 
     and political reconciliation for all parties, and engage in 
     dialogue with all parties, including Tamils inside and 
     outside Sri Lanka on new mechanisms for devolving power, 
     improving human rights, and increasing accountability.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Berman) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This resolution calls upon the Government of Sri Lanka to 
expeditiously release its internally displaced Tamil population from 
military-guarded camps and begin the process of political 
reconciliation.
  This past May marked the conclusion of a long and brutal civil war 
between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, a 
U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. While the United States 
and the international community welcome the end to this bloody war and 
congratulate the Government of Sri Lanka on its military victory, it is 
now time for the government to accelerate the process of releasing the 
hundreds of thousands of ethnic Tamils from the squalor camps where 
they have been confined.
  By all accounts, the Government of Sri Lanka has made great progress 
in de-mining the northern part of the country to allow the successful 
return of the Tamil population. Now with the timeline it previously 
provided to the international community having come and gone, it must 
take the next step and provide the international community with a 
transparent and implementable road map for the release of the remaining 
IDPs.
  For the safety of its own citizens who seek a return to normalcy, the 
Government of Sri Lanka should turn the camps over to proper civilian 
authorities and allow frequent, unconditional, and uninhibited access 
to the United Nations, the International Committee on the Red Cross, 
and other aid groups. It is long past time for the Sinhalese and the 
Tamil populations of Sri Lanka to turn the page and, hand in hand, 
begin a new life together as citizens of a whole, peaceful Sri Lanka.
  But doing so will require the Government of Sri Lanka to support a 
genuine reconciliation process, one that extends beyond local 
elections, and to make a determined effort to understand and address 
the legitimate concerns of its Tamil citizens.
  I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for introducing 
this important and timely resolution, and I urge all of my colleagues 
to join me in supporting it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of House Resolution 711, as amended, a measure 
calling attention to the plight of internally displaced Tamil civilians 
in northern Sri Lanka.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States and Sri Lanka share a long history of 
cordial relations, based in large part on common democratic traditions. 
The United States has been a friend to Sri Lanka, and there should be 
no doubt that we have stood with the people of Sri Lanka in the fight 
against terrorism.
  As Members are aware, Sri Lanka waged a long and bitter conflict 
against the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam, called the LTTE, also 
known as the Tamil Tigers, a separatist group that has been designated 
by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization ever since 
1997.
  For nearly 30 years, the LTTE claimed to represent the aspirations of 
all Sri Lankan Tamils for a separate homeland and became notorious in 
the process for pioneering the suicide bomb jacket. They are 
responsible for at least a dozen high-level assassinations, including 
former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, as well as over 200 suicide 
attacks.
  During that struggle, the United States was a steadfast supporter of 
Sri Lanka's efforts to stop the flow of arms and financing to the LTTE 
by providing law enforcement assistance and providing training and 
equipment to help the Sri Lankan military defend itself against the 
terrorist actions of the LTTE.
  After fierce fighting in late May, the world witnessed the cessation 
of fighting in Sri Lanka and the apparent conclusion of its long-
running insurgency. This brutal conflict cost tens of thousands of 
Sinhalese and Tamil lives, uprooted countless Sri Lankans from their 
homes, left thousands maimed or wounded, and badly divided this nation.
  In this regard, the United States remains deeply concerned for the 
welfare of the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons 
uprooted by the current fighting.
  Congress joins with the executive branch in recognizing the 
tremendous loss of life and hardships endured by the civilians in 
northern Sri Lanka. To help address their many urgent needs, the United 
States has provided some $56 million in humanitarian assistance in 
2009.
  Mr. Speaker, the Department of State has emphasized that while the 
Government of Sri Lanka has made

[[Page 26581]]

some progress in easing camp congestion, registering internally 
displaced persons, called IDPs, and expanding access by humanitarian 
organizations, much more work remains to be done to meet its commitment 
to the return of the majority of displaced persons by the end of the 
year. This is particularly the case with monsoon season approaching.
  We urge the government to allow robust humanitarian access to the 
displaced person camps and to work hand-in-hand with the United Nations 
High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red 
Cross, and the nongovernment organizations to ensure that civilian IDPs 
are accorded the rights and care meeting the highest international 
standards. The United States stands ready to help the government in 
these efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, the defeat of the LTTE offers a chance for Sri Lanka to 
forge a new beginning and to ensure a lasting end of terrorism. To 
seize this opportunity, bold actions are needed to share power and 
assure all of Sri Lanka's communities a future of hope, respect, and 
dignity.
  As a former U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka has noted, ``Through such 
actions, a truly united Sri Lanka can emerge--a Sri Lanka that is 
rooted in democracy and tolerance, where human rights are respected, 
where media can operate freely and independently, and where all Sri 
Lankans can participate freely in an open dialogue on the way forward 
for your country.''
  Mr. Speaker, I hope a successful reconciliation and healing process 
will emerge to help ensure a lasting end to terrorism in Sri Lanka and 
open a way for a brighter future for these people. The United States 
looks forward to working with Sri Lanka in that important endeavor. I 
support the adoption of this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), the sponsor of this important 
resolution.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me express my 
appreciation to Chairman Berman for yielding time and also for the 
expeditious manner in which this measure has been handled.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 711, a bipartisan 
resolution calling on the Sri Lankan Government and the international 
community to address the human rights and humanitarian needs of Sri 
Lanka's Tamils. I urge all Members of the body to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, May of 2009 marked the conclusion of the 26-year 
struggle between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri 
Lankan Government. As a result of this war, tens of thousands of Sri 
Lankan citizens have been displaced and are without homes.
  The Sri Lankan Government believes that among their displaced 
citizens are former Liberation Tiger militants. As part of the vetting 
process, the Sri Lankan Government has set up make-shift camps to house 
over 280,000 internally displaced persons and allow the government to 
relocate these suspected militants. Allegations are being reported that 
the standard of treatment and the living conditions afforded to people 
in these camps is grossly inadequate.
  Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Council's 11th special 
session on Sri Lanka met on May 27, 2009, to address the internally 
displaced persons in government-run camps. During this session, the Sri 
Lankan Government made commitments to improve the conditions for the 
people housed in these camps and stated that the bulk of the people 
would be resettled within 180 days. After the first 150 days passing 
with no progress, the Sri Lankan Government has just released some 
50,000 people, which is a good first step; although nearly 230,000 
internally displaced persons still remain held in camps.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution that calls on the Sri 
Lankan Government to release their citizens and allow them to return to 
their homes and properties. I, again, urge my colleagues to support the 
internally displaced persons in their quest for freedom.
  Again, I would like to thank Chairman Berman for his expeditious 
handling of this matter. I urge its support.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking member of the 
Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise as well in support of this resolution, 
calling on the U.S. Government and the international community to 
address the humanitarian needs of the Sri Lankan internally displaced 
Tamil community, and I think the needs are very great.
  The Sri Lankan Government routed the Tamil Tigers, a U.S.-designated 
foreign terrorist organization, earlier this year. This terror group 
has left a rather bloody trail in South Asia, and that trail, frankly, 
has even led to our shores.
  The Tamil Tigers perfected the use of suicide bombers. They invented 
the suicide belt. They assassinated two world leaders. They've 
pioneered the use of women in suicide attacks. The Tigers have fund-
raised in the United States. In recent years, the FBI has arrested men 
attempting to export shoulder-fired missiles and other sophisticated 
weapons to the group.

                              {time}  1845

  Frankly, the FBI reports the Tamil Tigers are among the most 
dangerous and deadly extremists in the world. An estimated 280,000 
ethnic Tamil Tigers were displaced from their homes due to the fighting 
earlier this year, and they are now in refugee camps. The condition of 
these camps are grim. They are crowded. They are dirty. They lack basic 
necessities. NGO reports that come to us show severe water shortages. 
Many Tamils have had to line up for up to 5 hours to receive even 
meager food rations.
  It is important that we continue to monitor the human rights 
conditions in these camps. Abuses must be checked. Although progress 
has been slow up until recently, I was very pleased to read a BBC 
report the other day that between 2,000 to 3,000 people are now leaving 
the camps every day. This is progress, although I am sure it is not 
fast enough for some.
  On this point, I think we should be clear. The Sri Lankan Government 
should be working to release civilian displaced persons in an 
expeditious manner, not the terrorist population that may be 10,000 
strong, hiding out in the camps. These are the same terrorists that 
used civilians as human shields and employed lethal force to prevent 
civilians from fleeing the previous fighting. The Tamil Tiger 
infrastructure must be rooted out even as we support the effort to 
release the civilian displaced persons in this expeditious manner.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McMAHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Resolution 711.
  The Tamil people have been exposed to unspeakable tragedies by all 
sides in the most recent ethnic conflict.
  Yet, the so-called end to the conflict in Sri Lanka has only brought 
more suffering and brutality to the Tamil people.
  Housed in barrack-style IDP camps, without the option of release, 
these 300,000 refugees are repeatedly betrayed by Sri Lankan officials 
that claim to be protecting them from the LTTE, a terrorist 
organization who was uprooted this Spring.
  Furthermore, stories of torture and injustice seep through the high 
barbed-wire walls surrounding these camps, despite limited access to 
outside NGOs and the media.
  This is frightening and simply unacceptable.
  My message has always been clear: I will not stand for the atrocities 
being committed in Sri Lanka.
  Through my work on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the 
subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, I have worked with 
Chairman Berman to include a provision in the Foreign Relations 
Authorization Act to condemn the Sri Lankan government's inaction and 
to mandate a cultural exchange for the new generation of Sri Lankans to 
study tolerance in the United States.
  For three long decades, Sri Lankans have been pitted against one 
another.
  And, thousands of innocent lives have been lost.
  It is time for a new direction in Sri Lanka.

[[Page 26582]]

  It is time for a political solution and an integration of minorities 
in Sri Lanka.
  Clearly, it is not enough to release a small number of refugees to 
host families or, for that matter, to farmland--as the government has 
reportedly been doing.
  These people must immediately be allowed to return to their homes and 
to their daily lives.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 711, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground 
that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum 
is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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