By Colombo Telegraph –
“I discussed in all our meetings the need for accelerated progress to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and the National Action Plan. I emphasized the importance of progress in reducing the role and profile of the military in the North, and full respect for human rights. ” says US Assistant Secretary Of State Robert Blake.
On issues of accountability, it is our hope that three years after the end of the conflict, there can be a credible and transparent accounting, investigation and prosecution of some of the outstanding and serious allegations of human rights violations, as well as progress on the missing. I also urged that the Northern Provincial Council elections be held as soon as possible and encouraged an early resumption of talks between the TNA and the government to agree on powers to be devolved to the provinces.” issuing a statement he further says.
We below reproduce the statement in full;
PRESS RELEASE
Public Affairs Section
Tel: +94 (1) 249-8100 ● Fax: +94 (1) 244-9070
Email: TealCL@state.gov ● http://srilanka.usembassy.
Statement by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State
Robert Blake at the Colombo Press Conference
As Prepared – September 14, 2012
Release no. 20120914
Great to be back in Sri Lanka. I have had a wide-ranging and productive series of meetings with political leaders, business community leaders and members of civil society. Before I go further, let me take the opportunity to welcome the arrival of our new Ambassador Michele Sison. She only arrived last week, but comes ready to serve the United States as one of our most experienced career diplomats and experts in South Asian affairs. I know Sri Lankans will extend her the same warm welcome and hospitality you extended me throughout my stay in Sri Lanka.
The United States has had a long and productive partnership with Sri Lanka. We have provided over $2 billion in assistance and have an important economic relationship – the United States is the largest single export destination for Sri Lankan goods. And we have a strong partnership in counterterrorism and maritime security. We have also worked closely together on issues such as demining and support for the IDPs.
I had positive meetings with the Minister of External Affairs Peiris, Minister de Silva, Minister Samarasinghe, Secretary to the President Weeratunga, Defense Secretary Rajapaksa, leaders of the TNA, and civil society.
I discussed in all our meetings the need for accelerated progress to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and the National Action Plan. I emphasized the importance of progress in reducing the role and profile of the military in the North, and full respect for human rights.
On issues of accountability, it is our hope that three years after the end of the conflict, there can be a credible and transparent accounting, investigation and prosecution of some of the outstanding and serious allegations of human rights violations, as well as progress on the missing. I also urged that the Northern Provincial Council elections be held as soon as possible and encouraged an early resumption of talks between the TNA and the government to agree on powers to be devolved to the provinces.
On the economic front, I am pleased that the American Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a trade fair to celebrate its 20th anniversary. I met with members of the AmCham at a lunch earlier today to discuss both the opportunities in sectors such as tourism and information technology, and the challenges that need to be overcome for Sri Lanka to attract greater investment.
On a related note of partnership, I wanted to pay special recognition to the fact that the U.S.-Sri Lankan Fulbright Commission is celebrating its 60th Anniversary. Thanks to this program, nearly 650 Sri Lankan students have gone to the United States, while Sri Lanka has hosted over 380 Americans as researchers, teachers, and students.
This powerful legacy has touched generations in both of our countries and made both of our societies stronger as a result. We are so pleased to be continuing this important bilateral cooperation and I also wanted to thank and commend Fulbright executive director Tissa Jayatilaka for his leadership of the Fulbright Commission for more than two decades.
Our hope remains that all Sri Lankans will be able to enjoy the same rights and dignity, and share a democratic, secure, and prosperous future.
Krishna / September 15, 2012
This will only strengthen the TNA
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Native Vedda / September 15, 2012
Krishna’s
studied response:
“This will only strengthen the TNA”
Blake has not visited Sri Lanka all the way from USA to strengthen TNA. He has traveled 8,000 miles to strengthen USA.
The price, if necessary dump MR, GR……….bury/immerse Sri Lanka in the Indian ocean. Now they have a trust worthy sub contractor to do the job namely the corporate India, the regional bully.
This has nothing to do with the ordinary people of India, Sri Lanka …. They remain stupid and will remain stupid for a considerable period of time.
In the meantime the stupid Sinhalese and stupid Tamils will continue to argue how USA and India helped their opponents in the past 30 years.
Neither India nor USA supported Tamils or Sinhalese.
Both helped themselves dishing out strategic interest in South Asia.
The price was paid by the stupid Tamils and stupid Sinhalese as both are self destructive stupid people.
If Sinhala/Buddhist nationalists are honourable people they should refund the $2 billion to the USA.
Blake says:
“nearly 650 Sri Lankan students have gone to the United States, while Sri Lanka has hosted over 380 Americans as researchers, teachers, and students.”
How many of them are looking after “US interest in Sri Lanka”?
It is not in US’s interest to look after Sri Lankan interest in Sri Lanka.
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Simhi / September 15, 2012
How prophetic. May this come true
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James Bond / September 17, 2012
IF Northern Provincial Council elections are not held by end of 2012, the US should ask the Commonwealth Organization to move its Heads of state meeting in 2013 to another country and boycott the Rajapakse regime which is racist and not giving the people of the north of Sri Lanka a right to vote and have provincial elections and government. The Commonwealth cannot legitimize racism and should boycott a RACIST STATE LIKE Sri lanka under Rajapakse or loose its last vestiges of relevance – since the Commonwealth is in any case a British colonial organization now take over by post-colonial dictators for promote their self-importance as Rajpaakse clearly did with the Commonwealth Parliament meeting which was over militarized and a nusiance for the general public!
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Donald J Gnanakone / September 15, 2012
Mr Blake highlighted the corruption in Sri Lanka, as the main reason US and other investors are reluctant to invest.
http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?nid=1023872245
Now the Bayagullah State Terrorist have delayed the Provincial Council elections to December 2013, after the SLFP and UNP received only 1 seat for their Tamil candidate, Pillaiyan.
That too heavy voter fraud in certain former LTTE areas now under Pillaiyan’s paramilitary forces, and the computer Jilmart aided by the power cut….
Then the Rajapakses call it a democracy….
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JimSofty / September 15, 2012
Donald Ghanakone, you are just a neglected DALIT in your mother land, Tamilnadu.
You talk big for Sri Lanka
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Native Vedda / September 17, 2012
JimSofty
What do you mean by “you are just a neglected DALIT in your mother land, Tamilnadu.”?
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LUCKY. / September 15, 2012
JUST ****** OFF BLAKE MIND YOU BLOODY BUSINESS AND GET BACK TO YOUR
COUNTRY. SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE WORLD, IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN PARTICULAR. ITS TIME YOU AND THE REST OF YOUR ILK IN THE STATES REALISE THAT YOUR DAYS OF THROWING YOUR BLOODY WEIGHT AND ACTING THE GLOBAL POLICEMAN ARE LONG GONE, THEY ARE OVER. THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD REALISE THAT YOUR COUNTRY ONLY LOOKS AT WHAT THEY CAN EXTRACT FROM THE WORLD. LIBYA IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU WILL GET IF YOU DONT BUGGER OFF. EGYPT, TUNISIA, PAKISTAN , INDONESIA, BANGLDESH AND A MULTITUDE OF OTHER COUNTRIES WILL HOUND YOU FROM THEIR TERRITORIES. SRI LANKS WILL QIUTE LIKELY FOLLOW. STOP YOUR ANTICS WHILE YOU HAVE THE TIME, DONT TELL US WHAT TO DO. GO HOME AND LOOK AFTER YOUR OWN GUN SLINGING, MORONIC, MANIACS, AND LEAVE US ALONE.
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Rama / September 15, 2012
primitive savage, blake is absolutely correct in calling for investigation into war time abuses by sinhala armed forces with the approval of primitive savages like mahinda, gothapeea, fonseka and other killers and rapists in the turd lankan armed forces. turd lankan armed forces are the most uncivilised and barbaric savages in the world. turd lankan armed forces are perverts who rape tamil women and molest tamil children. these barbarians should be rounded up and put in gas chambers. mahinda, gothapeea and other turds should be sent to the hague to stand trial for their part in killing 60,000 tamil civilians. war criminals can’t get away with murder. they have to face the consequences for their actions. they are all nasty piece of work.
mind you us is the most powerful nation in the world which has only a 250 year history. on the other hand turd lanka has a bogus history of 2,500 years but at the end of the it doesn’t mean anything. after all starving sinhala population are fed from loans from jihadi iran , red china and remittances from house maids and toilet cleaners in the middle east. what a sad state of affairs.
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Native Vedda / September 15, 2012
Rama
“on the other hand turd lanka has a bogus history of 2,500 years “
What is the true history of Sri Lanka?
Why do you think Sri Lanka is a turd?
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JimSofty / September 15, 2012
USA is the world’s policeman. So obey him.
They talk about democracy while they go enforcing their way in other countries.
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Donakathrin / September 15, 2012
when Amies point their fingers at SL and other countries, they forget what the had done to Irak and other folks – as Desmand tutu CLEALY reitated lately.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/archbishop-tutu-refuses-platform-with-blair/
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American Lanka Lover / September 15, 2012
This statement is relatively innocuous.
The US is just like every other country in seeking to advance its own strategic interests.
The US must retain the role of Wold’s policeman because there is no other. It is a thankless, dangerous, job but somebody has to do it.
In the case of SRi Lanka, it is an error for the policeman to continue to interrogate the victim who killed the criminal in self defense 3 years ago.
The provincial council elections must be delayed until the Tamils prove they have learned THEIR lesson, to wit, that delegating power to mass murderers does not produce a civil society. When TNA renounces Ealam and armed insurrection, then, and only then, can devolution of power be permitted. Power must be exercised responsibly and, to date, TNA has not shown readiness to renounce terrorism or separatism.
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Rama / September 15, 2012
what are you talking about you ignorant idiot. you can’t chase the policemen away as you are a criminal and that means he will be at your doorstep whether you like it not. there are lots and lots of criminals and terrorists among sinhala politicians. all these criminals have to punished for their crimes. war criminals mahinda, gothapeea, fonseka and other killers have to be taken handcuffed to the hague and have to be given 100 lashes each and put in prison for life without parole. who are the mass murderers you fool. mass murderers are the primitive sinhala savages who started killing innocent tamils since 1948. your savage killing of course couldn’t go on indefinitely as prabhakaran put a stop to it. he avenged the tamil deaths by roasting you barbarians for over 30 years. it appears that you still haven’t learnt your lesson that is even after 30 years of roasting. tamils don’t have to learn any lesson. tamils are not thick like sinhala race.
even after 50 years of ” positive discrimination ” favouring the majority in uni admissions , sri lanka has not made any progress in any field. after 2,500 years of bogus history , you are running after jihdi iran and red china for soft loans , hard loans and all other loans under the sun. your race has become the 21 century slaves. slaving in arab homes and toilets. yet you call yourself superior aryan race. what a black superior aryan race you are. what we need is a cyprus style solution. it’s the best form of solution under the circumstances.
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Native Vedda / September 15, 2012
Rama
recommends:
” have to be given 100 lashes each “
So you want Hague to introduce medieval sharia laws into its statute books of the world (criminal) court.
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Rama / September 17, 2012
hi native vedda,
in two words ” turd stinks”. sri lanka stinks.
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Rama / September 17, 2012
hi native veddha,
if i could i will put a tyre around their necks and set it alight so that they will have a slow and painful death. don’t think i am an evil and wicked person. certainly not, but they deserve it.
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Senguttuvan / September 16, 2012
Sri Lanka’s pains so far is because of our obstinacy to reject good advise from friends. The list is long and unending. Speaking for the USA Ambassador, Robert Blake’s plea is in accord with many recommendations of our own LLRC, which, for inexplicable reasons, President Rajapakse refuses to implement. Allowing the Tamils in the North their own Provincial Council with features contained in the 13th Amendment – now part of the Constitution and making available sufficient financial resources to enable the North-East to get back on its feet is conventional wisdom that is long denied. The determined cessation of subtle forms of demographic change, reduction of the armed forces to pre-war levels, adequate investment in existing industries in the Province (Cement, Chemicals, Rare earth etc) Fisheries, new garment and other industries to create new jobs,
the assured 90% electricity to the Province by Minister Ranawake – are all features that can unite a divided people and country.The more visible investments so far have been in the Hospitality industry where friends, relatives and cohorts of the regime (mostly from the army) have mis-appropriated private and State land only to make a fast buck.
This has nothing to do with that much hyped Awakening of the North (Uthuru Wasanthaya?) racket, which in itself is over 3 years old with little to talk about.
The USA, Robert Blake and our other overseas friends counsel well and in our good interest. They should not be abused, insulted and derided (a culture that is growing since the advent of the Rajapakses) for suggesting a fresh approach that can lead us to the new road to peace, prosperity – and, hopefully, to the restoration of our earlier unity.
Senguttuvan
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Rama / September 17, 2012
red china is now claiming the japanese island as theirs. may be in another ten or fifteen years time they will be claiming sri lanka as theirs too. after all if red china’s aid is not fortcoming, starving sinhala masses will take to the streets. therefore red china’s aid will be pouring in for a long time to come and it’s vital for the survival of mahinda, gothapeea and other savages.
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shankar / September 18, 2012
[On issues of accountability, it is our hope that three years after the end of the conflict, there can be a credible and transparent accounting, investigation and prosecution of some of the outstanding and serious allegations of human rights violations, as well as progress on the missing. I also urged that the Northern Provincial Council elections be held as soon as possible and encouraged an early resumption of talks between the TNA and the government to agree on powers to be devolved to the provinces. ]
So Blake wants the following 3 matters sorted out quickly
1.Serious allegations of human rights.Note the wording ‘serious’.He is not interested in the itsy bitsy ones.
2.Northern provincial council elections.
3.political solution
What Blake wants,Blake gets.Unless the Rajapakshe’s get cracking on these fast,the screws will be turned more and more through the UN,starting with the progress report to be discussed in November in UN which will be submitted by Navipillay.
That was the whole purpose of Blake’s visit.To give the message loud and clear to the thickskinned Rajapakshe’s.
As for the chinese he will deal with them in the indian ocean the same way the US is getting ready to deal with them in the south china seas.The US theory seems to be a sound military bashing of china in the south china seas with the superior technology that the US has,will teach this upstart asian country its rightful place, just like what happenned to japan at one time. It makes sense to teach china a lesson now than later,when it will be too late.So the US is tranferring 70 percent of it navy to the pacific,getting ready to give china a bloody nose,like what vietnam gave the PLA at one time when they invaded it.
Rajapakshe’s will have to choose between the US and china very soon as crunch time is coming fast.Hope they do not put their money on the wrong horse as they did with ghaddafi.If they continue to choose china,they lose india and japan too.So it will be US+India+japan vs srilanka+china+russia+iran. Iran will be the first to be knocked out of this axis when israel destroys its budding nuclear facilities.
Will the rajapakshe’s do a prabhaharan and stick their course like the stout oak and end up in nanthikadal?Or will they be flexible and sway like the wispy willow and survive?Only time will tell.Everything will depend on whether they listen to good advice or not.
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gamini / September 18, 2012
Utterances as these only give hope to the oppressed. It further helps to cover their connections. Otherwise they are nicely in it together, MR, Blake, the Americans and the Indialns plotting, planning and executing, fooling and taking every one for a good ride.
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