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US House Foreign Affairs Committee urges Blinken to prioritise political solution in Sri Lanka

The Chairman and Ranking Member of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken today, calling on him to prioritise “the importance of a substantive and durable political solution” in the US engagement with Sri Lanka.

The letter by Representatives Gregory W. Meeks and Michael McCaul, states “Sri Lanka faces several challenges – from an impending financial crisis to an unresolved ethnic conflict – that could affect long-term stability”.

It goes on to state,

Since the end of Sri Lanka’s almost 30-year civil war, this committee has demonstrated an interest in ensuring that U.S. policy continue to support reconciliation and accountability, while also addressing the root causes of the conflict.

We strongly urge the State Department to refocus its efforts in Sri Lanka to emphasize the importance of a substantive and durable political solution.

“The United States has rightly championed justice and human rights in Sri Lanka. Advancing these values will require solutions to political questions that remain unanswered years after the end of the civil war, including the meaningful devolution of power in an undivided Sri Lanka,” the letter adds.

“We urge the Department to support the government’s engagement with opposition parties, including Tamils and Muslims, to find such solutions.”

Read the full text of the letter here.

Read more on Antony Blinken in our feature: Antony Blinken and Sri Lanka – A look at the new US Secretary of State

 

 

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