Lanka, only democracy that defeated terror - US Congressman

US congressman Heath Shuler in an open letter to his fellow colleagues in the House of Representatives has emphasized that the US future policy towards Sri Lanka should be focused on supporting the country’s reconciliation efforts and engagement with the US.

The member for North Carolina and a member of the Steering and Policy Committee, Shuler, who visited Sri Lanka in May 2009, just days after the operations against the LTTE concluded, begins his letter ‘Today, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International-USA are screening a controversial documentary about Sri Lanka.

There is a great deal of misinformation and debate about what occurred during the final days of Sri Lanka’s war.’

Recounting his experience, in the backdrop of the screening of the controversial documentary, he has said ‘Sri Lanka is the only democracy to have defeated a terrorist organization in recent memory’.

”When I arrived in Sri Lanka, after the end of the war, the optimism and hope of the Sri Lankan people was palpable.

With the defeat of the Tigers for the first time in decades Sri Lankans felt safe from terror.

Even the Tamils I met in the recently constructed camps felt optimistic about the future of their country, knowing that security would bring much needed progress to everyone in the country.’’

‘’I saw the toll that the 26-year-long terror campaign waged by the Tigers had on the nation.

Our own government designated the Tigers as one of the world’s worst terror groups.

Over the past quarter of a century, the Tigers reigned terror on the nation, including suicide bombings, summary executions, ethnic cleansing, recruitment of child soldiers, drug smuggling, piracy and international money laundering.’’

Reminding that Sri Lanka is a long time ally of the US, the member for North Carolina has pointed out that ‘US cannot discount the long standing and strategic relationship’ with Sri Lanka which is an ‘enduring democracy’.

”Since my visit, I have been following the progress Sri Lanka has made. Since the end of the war, there has not been a single terrorist attack in Sri Lanka.”

‘’Based on news accounts and UN documents, almost all of the 300,000 displaced persons in Sri Lanka have returned to their homes, over 11,000 former LTTE fighters and child soldiers have been rehabilitated and re-integrated into society, and nearly 60% of the two million landmines have been cleared.’’

Shuler has also recognized that a ‘commission to investigate wrongdoings conducted by both sides during the conflict and to foster national healing and reconciliation’ is making progress.

In conclusion he has written ‘As we work together to develop our policy on Sri Lanka, I am happy to tell you about my experience there’, adding that he was willing to discuss with any of his colleagues about the true situation in Sri Lanka as he had been closely watching the unfolding developments at the ground level - which was very much different to the picture portrayed in the public domain.