Aid Organizations Appeal for U.S. Leadership
in Sri Lankan Crisis

Tue, 2007-06-12 04:28
New York, 12 June, (Asiantribune.com):

In a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a coalition of development and
humanitarian organizations has expressed concern over the growing humanitarian crisis in
Sri Lanka.

The Washington-based InterAction, the American Council for Voluntary International
Action, is appealing for U.S. leadership to ensure an effective peace process and an
immediate safeguarding of human rights for the population.

The letter says:
"We are urging action and support for continued U.S. leadership for the peace
process, a human rights monitoring field presence, full-time USAID/OFDA presence in
country, and increased funding for humanitarian assistance.We commend Assistant Secretary of State Boucher for his recent visit to Sri Lanka as well as Ambassador Blake’s diplomatic
efforts. We would welcome even stronger United States government engagement with the
international community to take public steps to address the immediate humanitarian situation,
as well as to place pressure on all parties to engage in a legitimate peace process and to
ensure community-level human rights monitoring. InterAction members are deeply
concerned about the impact of the current conflict on the civilian population. In the last year, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of displaced people in Sri Lanka as a result of the expansion of active military engagement by both sides. According to the United Nations, Sri Lanka now has the largest internally displaced population in Asia, including 299,000 newly
displaced since April 2006 due to the conflict. We remain concerned about the poor
conditions in camps where access to food, clean water, sanitation facilities, and kerosene
continue to be inadequate, as well as the continued use of aerial bombing by both sides,
which have directly contributed to the displacement.

Of equal concern is the build up of arms in the camps, the lack of security provided by the
Government of Sri Lanka for the camps, and the repeated and widespread use of forced
return. We highlight the fact that the population is being moved into areas that are often not yet
cleared of landmines, where adequate food, shelter, and sanitation facilities have not yet
been established; actions that are in clear violation of international human rights norms.
Furthermore we are greatly concerned about the indications of an expanded military
campaign during the summer which will increase the number of displaced and exacerbate this already very difficult and dangerous situation.We urge that the United States continue to
take the lead in addressing both the political and humanitarian emergency in Sri Lanka.
Given the U.S. role on the Sri Lankan Donor Group, the United States Government has a
special responsibility towards the Sri Lankan people.

We call on the United States to engage publicly with the Sri Lankan Government and
the international community to bring all parties together for an effective and genuine peace
process. As an effective first step in this process, we ask that the U.S. Government engage with the Sri Lankan Government to halt aerial bombings in the north and east as an important step in scaling back the conflict.In addition, we ask that the United States co-sponsor, with the European Union, a resolution in the United Nations Human Rights Council to ensure an international human rights field presence to monitor human rights violations in Sri Lanka and to ensure their immediate redress.

To address the immediate consequences of the humanitarian crisis, we would urge that USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance immediately establish a full-time and robust operational presence in country in support of the coordination of humanitarianassistance. In addition, we would ask that the United States Government make available increased funding to address the immediate humanitarian needs of the population.We have greatly appreciated the relationship we have developed over the years and lookforward to your leadership in securing human rights and peace for the people of Sri Lanka.

Sincerely,
Samuel A. Worthington ,President & CEO
Other signatories include:
Charles MacCormack, Vice Chair, Save the
Children
Ritu Sharma, Treasurer, Women’s Edge
Amy Coen, Board of Director, Population
Action International
Nancy A. Aossey, International Medical
Corps
Kenneth Bacon, Refugees International
David Beckmann, Bread for the World
Carol Bellamy, World Learning
Sekyu Chang, Korean American Sharing
Movement
Julius Coles, Africare
Helene D. Gayle , CARE USA
Anne Lynam Godard, Christian Children’s
Fund
Lee H. Hamilton, Woodrow Wilson
International Center for Scholars
Khalil Jassemm, Life for Relief and
Development
Neal Keny-Guyer, Mercy Corps
Elizabeth Lathem, US Committee for UNDP
Lelei Lelaulu, Counterpart International
Jo Luck , Heifer International
John McCullough, Church World Service
Stephen F. Moseley, Academy for
Educational Development
Daniel E. Pellegrom, Pathfinder International
Linda Pfeiffer, INMED
Robert Radtke, Episcopal Relief and
Development
Yolanda C. Richardson , Centre for
Development and Population Activities
George Rupp, International Rescue Committee
Zainab Salbi, Women for Women International
Ron Sconyers, Physicians for Peace
Kathy Spahn, Helen Keller International
Richard Stearns, World Vision
Tsehaye Teferra, Ethiopian Community
Development Council
Sam Worthington (Ex-Officio)
CC: Ms. Henrietta Fore, Acting Administrator
USAID
Mr. Jim Kunder, Acting Deputy Administrator
USAID
Mr. Mike Hess, Assistant Administrator
DCHA/USAID
Mr. Ky Luu, Director OFDA/USAID
- Asian Tribune -