[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 1767-1768]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   A RETURN TO DEMOCRACY IN SRI LANKA

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, for hundreds of millions of people around 
the globe, including in countries whose governments are allies of the 
United States, democracy and human rights are aspirations that seem 
beyond reach. According to a recent report by Freedom House, the state 
of freedom in the world declined in almost every region over the past 
year. But while we should be deeply concerned by this discouraging 
trend, we should also recognize where progress is being made.
  On January 8, the people of Sri Lanka stunned a repressive government 
that had been rapidly centralizing power and dismantling democratic 
institutions. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who sensed his increasing 
unpopularity, called a snap election 2 years early hoping to take 
advantage of his fragmented opposition. However, to his surprise and 
the surprise of many observers, a broad coalition of Sri Lankans voted 
to oust his administration and to chart a new course. Rather than balk 
at forfeiting the chance for an unprecedented third term, President 
Rajapaksa, under pressure from the international community, stepped 
down within hours of the election results being published.
  This was welcome news. After suffering decades of on-and-off conflict 
that is estimated to have cost as many as 100,000 lives, only to have 
the violence replaced by increasing repression and political and ethnic 
polarization, the peaceful transfer of power has helped breathe life 
into the hopes of Sri Lankans for reconciliation and a better future. 
For that hope to become reality, newly elected President Maithripala 
Sirisena will need to gain the trust of all Sri Lankans, regardless of 
their ethnicity or political views. In too many countries democracy has 
been treated as an election rather than a way of governing, but for it 
to succeed all citizens must have the ability to participate 
meaningfully. As President Sirisena stated in his inaugural address, 
what Sri Lanka needs ``is not a King, but a real human being''.
  Of course, democracy alone will not heal Sri Lankan society. No one 
knows this better than those who lost family, friends, and loved ones 
in the war with the LTTE, or Tamil Tigers. In the final months of that 
war, many thousands of civilians died, mostly as a result of shelling 
by the Sri Lankan military of civilians who had been uprooted by the 
fighting. The United Nations, the United States, other governments and 
human rights organizations have long called for thorough, independent 
investigations and punishment of those responsible for war crimes and 
crimes against humanity.
  While President Sirisena has pledged to launch a domestic inquiry 
into alleged war crimes, I agree with those

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who insist that nothing less than an international investigation, as 
called for by the U.N. Human Rights Council, will likely suffice to 
overcome the suspicion and distrust concerning this issue. It would be 
far better if the government seeks the assistance of the UN High 
Commissioner for Human Rights in developing a credible plan for 
investigating violations of human rights by both sides in the conflict, 
and holding those responsible accountable.
  I am encouraged that President Sirisena has pledged to return the 
country to a parliamentary democracy with independent police and 
judicial institutions, and inclusive governance. He has also committed 
to taking steps to address the cases of those detained under the 
Prevention of Terrorism Act, PTA, many of whom are political prisoners 
like Jeyakumari Balendran. The reviews should be carried out 
expeditiously. While the release of 572 prisoners at the time of Pope 
Francis's visit on January 14 was a positive step, it is the cases of 
political prisoners detained under the PTA that will demonstrate the 
Sirisena government's commitment to reconciliation. The sooner innocent 
victims of the Rajapaksa government's repression are freed, the faster 
Sri Lanka will be able to recover.
  Over the years I have spoken in this Chamber in support of 
independent investigations of war crimes and justice and reconciliation 
in Sri Lanka. I have met the relatives of victims of the war. President 
Sirisena's election offers the chance for all Sri Lankans to finally 
recover from that tragic period by rebuilding their country in a spirit 
of tolerance, respect, and common purpose.

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