Video: US ‘disappointed’ with SL - Blake

27 February 2013 07:25 am - 42 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert Blake said the US was ‘disappointed’ about Sri Lanka’s failure to address several issues including the implementation of the LLRC action plan.

Mr. Blake told the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific on Tuesday that, “I must say progress thus far on implementing the LLRC action plan has been slow and we’ve been disappointed as you say that the government has not proceeded so far with elections for the Northern Provincial Council four years after the end of the war.”

Following are some of the answers given to the subcommittee:

I’ve been working on Sri Lanka now for six years and know the country extremely well and consider myself a friend of the country and a supporter of the country and at the end of the conflict as you know there were many questions about the number of civilians that were killed at the very end of the conflict, an independent UN panel estimated between 10,000- 40,000 innocent civilians may have been killed.

Nonetheless the United States decided that we would support a domestic probe that is a Sri Lankan domestic process to try to get to the bottom of that and to investigate that and to develop what is now called a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission process.

But we did so with the understanding Mr. Chairman that there would be rapid progress towards reconciliation and accountability, and I must say progress thus far on implementing the LLRC action plan has been slow and we’ve been disappointed as you say that the government has not proceeded so far with elections for the Northern Provincial Council four years after the end of the war, we’ve been disappointed that there hasn’t been a conclusion of the dialogue between the Tamil National Alliance – the umbrella groups, the Tamil groups as well as the TNA dialogue with the government on devolution and we’ve been disappointed that there has been some backward movement on democracy, as you say, things like the 13th amendment and the recent impeachment of Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice.

So for that reason last year we supported a resolution in the UN Human Rights Council to put additional pressure on Sri Lanka to implement its own LLRC report, we did so with the support of countries like India and a large majority of other countries in the HRC. I think there is good support thus far to have another vote this year to continue to urge Sri Lanka to implement its own report and that’s why we are pursuing that again this year.

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Comments - 42

Ravi Wednesday, 27 February 2013 03:29 PM

But a lot of Lankans love to have Green card and American Passport!!!

janaka Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:50 AM

sri lanka give up uneducated murderous helping hambantota brothers to un war crimes no problem?

Hdiran Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:50 AM

GoSL is not kneeling down to your commands as a sovereign nation and therefore you are disappointed!! You consider you are a friend of Sri Lanka but we consider you are a foe.

Hifra Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:50 AM

ur that kind of guy when ur mother is oldmand sick ul sell her for beans.

mack Wednesday, 27 February 2013 12:00 AM

even we are disappointed how this country is being run by this Govt.lies lies and more lies via DM Android App

lok Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:30 AM

yh.. i like a country has gun violance in schools

bimba Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:39 AM

Wifh LTTE!!!!!!!!!!!!

bimba Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:44 AM

100% agreed

Athakolla Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:51 AM

Sri Lanka must do what ever it needs in order to maintain it's integrity. Sri Lanka's commitment to human writes must be determined by local political condition of the region, otherwise it will become a land grab under the guise of human writes with the threat of foreign intervention of various forms. Earlier it was land grab under the pretence of the bible with the threat of a gun.

RamUk Wednesday, 27 February 2013 12:08 PM

there is no LTTE

kumar Wednesday, 27 February 2013 12:17 PM

...but to China and Russia.

Lasantha Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:41 AM

Mr Blake considers himself a friend of Sri Lanka.!! We are surrounded by so many friend like that. We are a very lucky country.

Rohan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:35 PM

barking at the moon Brother .What has already started? r u talking about the sanction about to come from geneva?

Ashantha Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:40 PM

USA Live for ever,Amen SL Meda Mulana STUPID Gon Kabarayan
should get lost with whole of them (400 Families).

Rohan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:36 PM

Well, R u saying its better gun violance than Bomeing the Schools?

Rohan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:37 PM

The Solution called "NONE"

Rohan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:38 PM

Small BAST**D child alone? hmmmmm

Rohan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:46 PM

not counting the kidnaping and the disaperance?

Peter72 Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:44 PM

Hey Robert,

You cannot forcefully be our friend, You have to earn it and we have to accept and approve it. Until then you are not our friend.

As of now you are a big bad wolf, as evident by your statement that you are to put additional pressure on us.
A friend, eh?

It's time those in the government learned to say to these parasites... "WE DON'T DISCUSS OUR NATIONAL SECURITY WITH ANYONE"... and then go about serving the Sri Lankans.

C W Rampala Thursday, 28 February 2013 06:05 AM

Dear William

Please first consider US violations in Iraq, Afganistan and Vietnam. Did UN investigated those crimes committed by US. I understand that you supported LTTE when you were in Sri Lanka. What support US has given to Sri Lanka to make the things better so far? Please be honest in your comments regarding the Sri Lanka. At least be decent as a diplomat to tell the truth and verify the above matters. Please do not talk from your back mouth.

Thank you for supporting terrriosm in Sri Lanka.

RamUk Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:45 AM

I do carry one of them it has negative value any way.

ashan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:04 AM

Any peace loving open eyed citizen would be.

Ranjit Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:14 AM

Is US satisfied with LTTE and the Tamil Diaspora?

Naviman Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:23 AM

I see no evil, I hear no evil, I speak no evil. Oh! Blake thou shall not..........

No Drog Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:23 AM

keep going uncle Sam make this fellows kudu...and make their passport value to negative

Dilip Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:26 AM

Give them more AID

Yuri Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:32 AM

you mean Sl Passport? SL passport already a shit. no one wants the Sri Lankan. even China u need visa

Kadmin Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:33 AM

I think the government was busy try planning to win elections. They might have slipped under that they have to implement those LLRC. If there was any resultant economic sanctions which SL's economy couldn't bear, whole blame should be on President. People elected him to address those issues, not to fulfill his personal agendas.

robi Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:38 AM

US will pay high price in near future for distroying poor countries in the world.

you all can see, US will be punised by act of god very soon. it has already started.

USA has her shine.. if someone says I am american noone gives shit. whole world hates americans..

Silas Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:40 AM

Well... all Sri Lankans with common sense are also dissaponted with SL !!!

Ranga Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:38 AM

When men women and children are given guns and sent to battle with civilian clothing, and those who can't fight be used as human shields - that's when you should have got disappointing. When there was so many killings a day of civilians, rebels and soldiers that's when you should have got disappointing. You should have gone to the front-line and witnessed all this, then I accept the fact that you know much about the country. From what I see you only know a little bit of the story... We now live with out fear of bombs and killing, Sri Lankan's be it Sinhalese or Tamils are not at war anymore and are not killing each other any more. How many lives do you think is saved due to the end of the conflict ?

sanjeewe Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:01 AM

Get lost please

David Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:51 AM

The world is disappointed with USA Hegemony,At least you guys should leave the small children alone .You use remote controlled air planes to bomb kids ,...shame on you BIG democrazy

IndiaToday Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:47 AM

SL Gov is keep on dragging the report.....where is the political solution for the minorities?

Kadmin Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:50 AM

Mate, which side are you in?

Saskia Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:07 AM

First, are u satisfied with your government then?

edward Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:11 AM

Its not we need to look what other countries do it , they are super power , we needto follow read this carfull wht they looking foward " But we did so with the understanding Mr. Chairman that there would be rapid progress towards reconciliation and accountability, and I must say progress thus far on implementing the LLRC action plan has been slow and we’ve been disappointed as you say that the government has not proceeded so far with elections for the Northern Provincial Council four years after the end of the war, we’ve been disappointed that there hasn’t been a conclusion of the dialogue between the Tamil National Alliance – the umbrella groups, the Tamil groups as well as the TNA dialogue with the government on devolution and we’ve been disappointed that there has been some backward movement on democracy, as you say, things like the 13th amendment and the recent impeachment of Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice."

siri Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:09 AM

Ye.....s, sir

daryll hair Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:17 AM

SL is dissapointed with US as well for inviting Shevendra to address the Marines at Virginia just yesterday.
Also photographed together was Justice Scalia & Shavendra.

It was Justice Scalia who ruled that water boarding is accetable as long as authorities are able to illicit information from suspects.

Now Blake... you go to hell with your rhetorics.

Gorakaya Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:25 AM

Mr Blake, we are dissapointed with you guys too about the way you carry out these drone attacks in Pakistan and killing so many innocent people.

Silicon Valley Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:39 AM

Get out of the box bro you are still in stone age.....USA has the best technology.

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Video: US ‘disappointed’ with SL - Blake

Comments - 42

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