SL briefs US on initiatives over reconciliation, PTA & OMP

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the US Ravinatha Aryasinha briefed the Special Assistant to the US President on the initiatives taken by the Government to address the concerns on accountability, reconciliation, measures on preceding Human Rights Commissions, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Office on Missing Persons (OMP).

The briefing was made during a farewell call via zoom on September 07 with Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South Asia at the National Security Council Sumona Guha.

He also briefed on the Office on Disappearances, Office on Reparations, Office for National Unity and Reconciliation, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Engagement with a broad range of civil society on their concerns over human rights.

Aryasinha thanked the US Government for the support extended towards Sri Lanka during the COVID crisis, particularly in the donation of vaccines. Emphasizing the multifaceted nature of the US-Sri Lanka relationship, the Ambassador said the two countries continue to have strong cooperation, particularly in the spheres of trade, strategic security and counter terrorism. 

Ambassador Aryasinha also appreciated the support received from officials at the National Security Council (NSC), the State Department and other Departments and Agencies of the US, during his tenure in Washington D.C. 

In response, the Special Assistant to the President, and the Senior Advisor of the State Department appreciated the continuous dialogue maintained by the Ambassador, and said his previous experiences had been particularly useful in understating Sri Lanka’s perspective on some of the pressing issues.