III 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 348 

Expressing support for the internal rebuilding, resettlement, and reconciliation 

within Sri Lanka that are necessary to ensure a lasting peace. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2014 

Mr. BURR (for himself, Mr. CASEY, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. BROWN, Mrs. BOXER, 

and Mr. CORNYN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the internal rebuilding, resettlement, 

and reconciliation within Sri Lanka that are necessary 

to ensure a lasting peace. 

Whereas May 19, 2013, marks the four-year anniversary of 

the end of the 26-year conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government of Sri 

Lanka; 

Whereas the people of Sri Lanka suffered greatly as a result 

of this conflict, the impact and aftermath of which has 

been felt especially by women, children, and families; 

Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka established a ‘‘Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission’’ (LLRC) to 

report whether any person, group, or institution directly 

or indirectly bears responsibility for incidents that ocVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:00 Feb 07, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR348.IS SR348

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•SRES 348 IS 

curred between February 2002 and May 2009 and to recommend measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future and promote further national unity 

and reconciliation among all communities; 

Whereas the LLRC report was presented to the Sri Lankan 

Parliament on December 16, 2011, and officially translated into Sinhala and Tamil on August 16, 2012; 

Whereas the LLRC report acknowledges important events 

and grievances that have contributed to decades of political violence and war in Sri Lanka and makes constructive recommendations on a wide range of issues, including the need to credibly investigate widespread allegations 

of extrajudicial killings; enforced disappearances; intentional targeting of civilians and noncombatants; demilitarizing the north and the country as a whole; reaching 

a political settlement with minority communities on the 

meaningful decentralization of power; and promoting and 

protecting the right to freedom of expression for all 

through the enactment of a right to information law and 

additional rule of law reforms; 

Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka developed the National Plan of Action to implement just 82 of the 285 

recommendations of the LLRC in August 2011, and although the Government of Sri Lanka has made some 

progress on rehabilitation, resettlement of displaced persons, and improvements of infrastructure in the North 

and East, there are still many issues of major concern; 

Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka has yet to reasonably 

address issues of reconciliation and accountability 

through internal processes; 


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•SRES 348 IS 

Whereas the Department of State’s 2012 Human Rights Report on Sri Lanka outlines ongoing concerns regarding 

landownership and property restitution, particularly in 

the Jaffna Peninsula, where large numbers of persons 

have not received restitution for land that remains part 

of government high security zones, and while citizens 

generally were able to travel almost anywhere in the island, there continues to be police and military checkpoints in the north, and defacto high-security zones and 

other areas remained off limits to citizens; 

Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka has not taken tangible 

steps toward demilitarization of civilian functions, particularly in the North and East, and continued military 

presence on private lands in the North is preventing the 

resettlement of internally displaced persons who desire a 

return to peaceful life; 

Whereas the Department of State’s 2012 Human Rights Report on Sri Lanka also includes reports of serious human 

rights violations such as unlawful killings by security 

forces and government-allied paramilitary groups, often 

in predominantly Tamil areas; torture and abuse of detainees by police and security forces; and arbitrary arrest 

and detention by authorities; 

Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Council 

(UNHRC) resolution supported by the United States and 

adopted by the UNHRC on March 21, 2013, expresses 

concern at the continuing reports of violations of human 

rights in Sri Lanka, including enforced disappearances, 

extrajudicial killings, torture, and violations of the rights 

to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, as well as intimidation of and reprisals against 

human rights defenders, members of civil society and 


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journalists, threats to judicial independence and the rule 

of law, and discrimination on the basis of religion or belief; 

Whereas the Government of Sri Lanka expressed its commitment to addressing the needs of all ethnic groups and has 

recognized, in the past, the necessity of a political settlement and reconciliation for a peaceful and just society; 

and 

Whereas tangible progress on domestic and international investigations into reports of war crimes, crimes against 

humanity, and other human rights violations during and 

after the conflict and promoting reconciliation would facilitate enhanced United States engagement and investment in Sri Lanka: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the representatives of the United 

3 States on their leadership on United Nations 

4 Human Rights Council Resolution (UNHRC) 22/1, 

5 adopted by the UNHRC on March 21, 2013, which 

6 promotes reconciliation and accountability in Sri 

7 Lanka; 

8 (2) calls on the United States and the inter9 national community to establish an independent 

10 international accountability mechanism to evaluate 

11 reports of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and 

12 other human rights violations committed by both 

13 sides during and after the war in Sri Lanka; 


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1 (3) urges the Government of Sri Lanka to allow 

2 unimpeded access for media, international aid agen3 cies, and human rights groups into all regions of the 

4 country, as well as to detention sites that may hold 

5 political and war prisoners; 

6 (4) urges the Government of Sri Lanka to end 

7 its media restrictions, including the obstacles to the 

8 flow of information in the North and East, and 

9 bring to justice those responsible for attacks on jour10 nalists and newspaper offices; and 

11 (5) calls upon the President to develop a com12 prehensive policy towards Sri Lanka that reflects 

13 United States interests, including respect for human 

14 rights, democracy and the rule of law, economic in15 terests, and security interests. 

Æ 


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