Reduce emergency regulations - US

15 December 2010 02:26 pm

By Dianne Silva

The US called on Sri Lanka to trim down emergency regulations and to reveal an account of IDP's being held in camps, already released and those to be charged.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror from Washington US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O' Blake acknowledged that the majority of IDP's had been released. However a proper account was necessary of those IDP's to be charged, in order for their families to be at peace.

Blake stressed the need for a pruning of emergency and High Security Zones, especially in the North. He further called on the Government to hold elections in the North in order for a new indigenous generation of leaders to emerge.

Blake addressed the need for access to be granted for humanitarian organizations and NGO’s into the northern parts of the island for them to facilitate political and economic growth. 

He reaffirmed the US support for the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission as a mechanism through which any alleged war crimes could be addressed.