Thaindian News

WASHINGTON D.C. (BNO NEWS) – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met on Friday with Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Gamini Lakshman Peiris, the State Department Press Office announced.

Secretary Clinton discussed Sri Lanka’s efforts to rebuild after more than two decades of violence and terrorist activity that deprived progress in the nation. The north of Sri Lanka was dominated for decades by the separatist organization known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) until they were defeated last year.

“Since the LTTE terrorist group was defeated one year ago, USAID has rebuilt or repaired seven schools and a hospital damaged by the conflict, launched public-private partnerships to create the equivalent of 5,000 full-time jobs in former conflict zones, supported work training for young people to spur economic development, and provided extensive aid and assistance to internally displaced people seeking to return home,” Clinton declared.

Both officials also discussed Sri Lanka’s Reconciliation Commission. Despite reports that indicated that the U.S. was not satisfied with it, Clinton said that the commission should apply the best practices to redressing wrongs and to investigate any allegations of war crimes. She also remarked that the U.S. strongly supports political and ethnic reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

“I think that this commission holds promise and we hope and expect that it will fulfill that promise,” Clinton said.

Minister Peiris said that the country has two priorities, the reactivation of the electoral process and the issue of internally displaced people. The elections had been dormant for a long period due to the turbulence in the north of the country and there is a need for political leadership, especially in the Tamil community whose leaders were killed by the LTTE.

Regarding the displaced people, Dr. Peiris accepted that Sri Lanka is not well equipped to handle the excruciatingly difficult problem. He said that despite the fact that they have been able to resettle the people in their communities, they have not ensured the restoration of their livelihoods so they can live with dignity and without bitterness or rancor.

Clinton and Peiris expressed their mutual satisfaction with the results of the meeting and expect to continue working together in the pending matters. Clinton also expressed her confidence in the current government of Sri Lanka and remarks the continuous support from the U.S. and the USAID which have invested more than $1.9 billion since 1956.

“It’s a time of great promise and hope for Sri Lanka. Today, we have two singular advantages. One is an honorable and enduring peace consequent upon the eradication of terrorism. The second strength we have is an unprecedented degree of political stability which the country has not achieved during the last 25 years. As Secretary Clinton pointed out, we are proud of the tremendous progress that we have made during the short space of one year,” Peiris said.