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Question Sri Lanka’s Commander on War Crimes

April 22, 2010

Media reports from Sri Lanka indicate that Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya will be touring the U.S. on a private visit within several days. Commander of the Army, Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya was in charge of the Vanni “No Fire Zone” during the Sri Lankan civil war's escalation from 2008-2009. The Government of Sri Lanka has yet to even attempt holding Jayasuriya and his troops accountable for the tens of thousands of civilian deaths they caused by conducting military operations in the Vanni's “No Fire Zone”; it is highly unlikely that they will investigate war crimes allegations in the future.

In addition to the aforementioned crimes, Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya was responsible for the area where UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions Philip Alston is calling for an investigation into extrajudicial executions by the Sri Lankan military. These war crimes and crimes against humanity are extremely serious and, as such, the United States should set an example for other members of the international community by meeting and questioning Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya. As a military commander, Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya is directly responsible for the commission and committing of indiscriminate killings in Sri Lanka's “No Fire Zone” and should be held proportionately accountable.

It is impossible to create sustainable peace in Sri Lanka when Tamils are consistently denied opportunities for justice. Unless upholders of democracy and freedom, such as the United States, take action to bring war criminals and perpetrators of ethnic-based violence to justice, these Tamils will continue to suffer.

As your American constituent, I urge you to work with the State Department to meet with and question Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya on his involvement in Sri Lanka's civil war. Do not give the government of Sri Lanka reason to believe that the United States condones grave human rights violations and systematic violence against the Tamils living there. Thank you for defending the rights and freedoms of Tamils by making their dreams for peace and justice a reality.