•HRES 587 IH 
ation in Sri Lanka as codified in the Sri Lankan Govern-
ment supported 2009 United Nations Human Rights 
Council resolution S–11/Assistance to Sri Lanka in the 
Promotion and Protection of Human Rights; 
Whereas negotiations on a political solution to the conflict be-
tween officials from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and 
the Tamil National Alliance ended unsuccessfully in 2011 
after the government walked away; 
Whereas reconciliation is a long-term process that will need 
to be led by the Sri Lankan Government and driven by 
the people of Sri Lanka, including civil society and non-
governmental organizations; 
Whereas the removal of the country’s chief justice, decreasing 
space for dissent, continued militarization throughout the 
country, and intimidation of journalists and critics of the 
government have created a sense of impunity and creep-
ing authoritarianism within Sri Lanka; 
Whereas there have been repeated reports of attacks on 
places of worship and those practicing their faith, restric-
tions on the media throughout Sri Lanka, and few in-
stances in which the perpetrators of such attacks have 
been held to account; 
Whereas there have been numerous unaddressed allegations 
of arbitrary detention, sexual violence, torture, and abuse 
of detainees by police and security forces in Sri Lanka’s 
north and east during the end of the war, and which are 
ongoing and have increased after the war; 
Whereas the United States Department of State’s 2012 
Human Rights Report on Sri Lanka also includes reports 
of serious human rights violations such as unlawful 
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•HRES 587 IH 
killings by security forces and government-allied para-
military groups; 
Whereas progress on investigations into reports of war 
crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights 
violations during the conflict and promoting reconciliation 
would facilitate enhanced United States engagement, bi-
lateral trade, and investment in Sri Lanka and coincide 
with United States policy that such commissions of in-
quiry have been instrumental in providing accountability 
and redressing wrong doing during periods of internal 
strife; and 
Whereas the United States is home to a large Sri Lankan di-
aspora, including Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims, who 
have become an integral part of United States society: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to 
implement the constructive recommendations of the 
Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission 
(LLRC) in a credible, transparent, and expeditious 
manner; 
(2) recognizes that the LLRC report has not 
adequately addressed issues of accountability for 
possible war crimes and crimes against humanity 
that may have been committed by the Government 
of Sri Lanka and the terrorist Liberation Tigers of 
Tamil Eelam (LTTE); 
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•HRES 587 IH 
(3) commends the representatives of the United 
States on their leadership on United Nations 
Human Rights Council Resolution (UNHRC) A/ 
HRC/25/L.1.Rev.1, adopted by the UNHRC on 
March 27, 2014, establishing an Office of the High 
Commissioner for Human Rights investigation into 
allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, 
and other human rights violations committed by 
both sides during and after the war in Sri Lanka 
and to make recommendations regarding account-
ability; 
(4) recommends that the United States Depart-
ment of State place restrictions on entry to the 
United States for anyone it identifies as responsible 
for war crimes and crimes against humanity; 
(5) encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to 
work with and accept the support of civil society and 
local and foreign agencies that can support the 
causes of reconciliation and accountability, including 
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner 
for Human Rights in its investigation; 
(6) calls for the Government of Sri Lanka to 
allow for greater media freedoms and ensure the 
freedom and protection of the press and of religion; 
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•HRES 587 IH 
(7) urges the Government of Sri Lanka to pro-
vide for freedom of movement and allow humani-
tarian organizations and international human rights 
groups greater access to war-affected individuals, in-
cluding rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres and those de-
tained; 
(8) acknowledges the end of the war and calls 
on the Government of Sri Lanka to prioritize the 
process of demilitarization throughout the country, 
including removing military involvement from civil-
ian administration; 
(9) calls on members of the Tamil National Al-
liance to acknowledge past relationships with the 
LTTE and make a firm commitment to reconcili-
ation and a long-term political solution that would 
ensure for a peaceful and unified Sri Lanka; 
(10) urges the government of the ruling party 
to begin negotiations with the Tamil National Alli-
ance on a political solution from where those talks 
stopped in 2011; and 
(11) acknowledges the importance for all par-
ties to reach a lasting political settlement on the 
meaningful devolution of power consistent with the 
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•HRES 587 IH 
recommendations of the LLRC and acceptable to all 
sides. 
Æ 
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