A senate resolution on Sri Lanka was presented to US Congress Friday, by the Republican Senator of North Carolina, Richard Burr, reports Colombo Page.

Drawing upon the US State department 2012 report on human rights and visits to Sri Lanka, the resolution presented to the Senate on February 6, called on the US and international community to establish an “independent international accountability mechanism to evaluate reports of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations committed by both sides during and after the war in Sri Lanka.” 

Noting the intense militarisation in the North-East, the resolution urged unimpeded access for media, international aid agencies and human rights group into all of the country, and called for justice and accountability for attacks on journalists and newspaper offices.

Extracts from the text of the resolution are reproduced below.

On appropriation of land in the North-East.

“outlines ongoing concerns regarding landownership and property restitution, particularly in the Jaffna Peninsula,…..there continues to be police and military checkpoints in the north, and de-facto high-security zones and other areas remained off limits to citizens”

On militarisation of the North-East.

“the Government of Sri Lanka has not taken tangible steps toward demilitarisation of civilian functions, particularly in the North and East, and continued military presence on private lands in North is preventing the resettlement of internally displaced persons who desire a return to peaceful life”