IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 711 

Calling on the United States Government and the international community 

to address the human rights and humanitarian needs of Sri Lanka’s 

Tamil internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently living in governmentrun camps by supporting the release of such IDPs, implementing and 

facilitating an independent oversight of the process of release and resettlement, and allowing foreign aid groups to provide relief and resources 

to such IDPs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 31, 2009 

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself and Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the United States Government and the international community to address the human rights and 

humanitarian needs of Sri Lanka’s Tamil internally displaced persons (IDPs) currently living in governmentrun camps by supporting the release of such IDPs, implementing and facilitating an independent oversight of 

the process of release and resettlement, and allowing 

foreign aid groups to provide relief and resources to 

such IDPs. 

Whereas May 2009 marked the conclusion of the 26-year 

struggle between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 

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•HRES 711 IH 

(LTTE) and the Sri Lankan Government, and Sri 

Lankan Government committed itself to caring for and 

ensuring the speedy return of the civilians internally displaced as a result of the fighting; 

Whereas the Sri Lankan Government is seeking to identify 

former combatants who were part of the LTTE and as 

part of the vetting process the Sri Lankan Government 

has set up make-shift camps to house over 280,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled their homes as 

the war drew to an end; 

Whereas as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council 11th Special Session on Sri Lanka held on May 27, 

2009, the Sri Lankan Government made commitments to 

the world to improve the conditions for the people housed 

in the camps and stated that the ‘‘bulk’’ of the IDPs 

would be resettled within 180 days; 

Whereas the first 60 days of this resettlement process, as 

committed to by the Sri Lankan Government, has passed 

and the Sri Lankan Government is still detaining over 

280,000 IDPs in 30 military-guarded camps in the four 

northern districts of Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, and 

Trincomalee; 

Whereas allegations are being reported that the current and 

actual standard of treatment and living conditions afforded to IDPs is grossly wanting when compared to the 

principles set as standards by the United Nations Office 

for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for guiding 

states and organizations dealing with internally displaced 

populations; 

Whereas Human Rights Watch believes that the Sri Lankan 

Government should immediately release the more than 

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280,000 Tamil IDPs held in detention camps since 

March 2008; and 

Whereas principles, established by the United Nations Office 

for the Coordination of Human Affairs, for sufficient provision of equal treatment, family reunification, access to 

essential food and water, sanitation, healthcare, education, safety, acknowledgment of the special needs for 

vulnerabilities of children and women are not yet met: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) urges the Sri Lankan Government to guar3 antee the safety and speedy release of internally dis4 placed persons (IDPs) in camps and to ensure the 

5 rights and privileges of these refugees in the reestab6 lishment of their homes and properties; 

7 (2) calls on the Sri Lankan Government to turn 

8 the operation of the camps over to civilian authori9 ties and allow the day to day presence of inter10 national government agencies, the International 

11 Committee of the Red Cross, and independent non12 governmental organizations to assist in the care of 

13 the IDPs; 

14 (3) calls on the Sri Lankan Government to 

15 allow an independent group to assess the accuracy 

16 of the allegations of large numbers of deaths, dis17 eases, and sicknesses due to poor sanitation and in18 appropriate healthcare in the camps containing the 

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1 IDPs and to prepare a plan of action to resolve the 

2 problems; 

3 (4) request the Sri Lankan Government to es4 tablish reasonable conditions to allow foreign agen5 cies access to the IDPs and to ensure the rebuilding 

6 process of war torn areas in Sri Lanka; and 

7 (5) urges the Tamil people to continue to be pa8 tient while the government reestablishes normalcy 

9 and urges the Sri Lankan Government to move for10 ward in creating political reforms that will resolve 

11 the political concerns of the Tamil people. 

Æ 

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