Senior United States’ government officials continued their meetings with Tamils in Washington this week, with the State Department tweeting “the US joins Sri Lankan Tamil people in search for lasting peace & full voice in deciding their country’s future”.
The Tamil National Alliance and members of the Global Tamil Forum met Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, who reportedly “underscore[d] human rights are central to US foreign policy in Sri Lanka,” according to the State Department.
Asst Secretary Lu underscores human rights are central to US foreign policy in Sri Lanka during his meeting with @TNAmediaoffice @GTFonline on #lka's reconciliation. The US joins Sri Lankan Tamil people in search for lasting peace & full voice in deciding their country’s future. pic.twitter.com/mExTyekyrW
— State_SCA (@State_SCA) November 23, 2021
Another meeting was held with senior White House National Security Council officials, with GTF tweeting that they “discussed initiatives on greater [US government] involvement in finding a political solution for ethnic conflict… while pursuing justice for victims”.
The meetings come following another set last week, and almost a year into Joe Biden’s US presidency. His tenure has so far seen several key appointments to senior foreign policy roles, including many who are familiar with Sri Lanka.
Read more on the new Biden administration in our features:
Antony Blinken and Sri Lanka – A look at the new US Secretary of State
Samantha Power, Sri Lanka and another opportunity
Wendy Sherman - A familiar face tipped for US Deputy Secretary of State
Victoria Nuland on Sri Lanka, accountability and justice
Also see:
What does a Biden-Harris victory mean for Sri Lanka?
Editorial - Righting wrongs
Last month, the United States also announced it would be returning to the UN Human Rights Council in January 2022, a body where several resolutions on accountability in Sri Lanka have been passed.
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