The US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland commended Sri Lanka’s foreign minister in “moving forward” on “issues of national healing and justice” in Colombo this morning, just days after protesting Tamils continued to demand justice for wartime atrocities.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Sri Lanka’s G L Peiris, Nuland said that the US commends “the first steps taken in recent weeks and days towards national healing here, towards human rights, towards justice”.

The senior US State Department official went on to highlight the recent passing of an amended Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has been slammed by international human rights organisations and Tamil groups.

She also said that Washington was “encouraging provincial council elections” and noted that Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s “decision to meet on Friday with the Tamil National Alliance is a very important step and one that we welcome”.

Her remarks came after the Fourth Sri Lanka – U.S. Partnership Dialogue in Colombo this morning, in which the US “welcomed action taken by Sri Lanka to promote reconciliation and human rights”.

Nuland is the most senior US official to visit the island since former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in October 2020.

Her comments come despite several human rights organisations, activists and Tamil groups repeatedly highlighting concerns over Sri Lanka’s deteriorating human rights record. In recent months alone, protests have been blocked, arrests taken place and the militarisation of the Tamil homeland remains rampant. In the past week alone, Tamil protestors in Jaffna blocked Sri Lanka's prime minister from laying a foundation stone for a Buddhist temple in the region, whilst Sri Lankan police officers forcibly pushed back Tamil families of the disappeared as they attempted to attend a rally condeming the current regime.

In her comments, the Under Secretary spoke of how a third navy vessel would be donated to Colombo and she also highlighted Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – an international incident in which Sri Lanka remains a handful of countries that refrained from condemning.

“Russia’s brutal aggression in Ukraine just underscores for all of us the importance of the democracies, strengthening ourselves and standing together in the face of brutal autocratic behaviour, coercion, aggression,” Nuland added.

See extracts of her remarks below.

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We come at particularly difficult and pivotal moment for Sri Lanka

We commend the first steps taken in recent weeks and days towards national healing here, towards human rights, towards justice, particularly the amendments passed yesterday to the Prevention of Terror Act (PTA) and the release of some prisoners.

There is more to do, as you know better than anyone, and we look forward to working with you as you continue that vital work.

The president’s decision to meet on Friday with the Tamil National Alliance is a very important step and one that we welcome.

The notion of setting up a truth-seeking mechanism as other countries with difficult histories have done, particularly taking advantage of the South African experience, is a very good step and we look forward to supporting that process.

We also underscored the importance of the non-governmental sector, journalists, civil society, ending surveillance, ending detention, ending harassment. I will be pleased to meet with representatives of civil society later today and to hear that the foreign minister is also going to meet with those representatives and hear some of their concerns.

We're also encouraging provincial council elections and a broadening of the democratic space.

But overall I want to particularly commend the foreign minister and his partnership with the justice minister in moving forward on all of these issues of national healing and justice. As you take those steps it will open even more space for our partnership particularly in the security arena, which is already strong in the maritime domain and the aviation domain. As you know we have two US cutters… which are now in service in the Sri Lankan navy and we have another one on the way which is being outfitted now, and your sailors and sea people, seamen will sail it here in coming weeks.

As the foreign minister said our economic relationship is absolutely vital it is already strong. Throughout the COVID period our trade actually grew which is quite stunning particularly because Sri Lanka was able to take its strong base in apparel and contribute to the global need for protective equipment. And we commend you for that. What's absolutely crucial though is the courageous step by the government to reach out to the International Monetary Fund for help now with your debt overhang, with your fiscal and monetary needs and as you roll up your sleeves and do the hard work to strengthen and heal the economy her, the United States will be your partner and we will strengthen the capacity in our embassy to work with you at this vital moment.

I want to particularly make note of the fact that the Russia’s brutal aggression in Ukraine just underscores for all of us the importance of the democracies, strengthening ourselves and standing together in the face of brutal autocratic behaviour, coercion, aggression whether it's coming from Russia,  whether it's coming from other autocracies around the world.

And I think the foreign minister said it best we share a commitment to the rules-based international order. We share a commitment, the US and Sri Lanka to the sanctity of the democratic way of life that's what we're here to strengthen together. We look forward not only to coming back to Sri Lanka but also to welcoming you in Washington in coming months.