Mano Ganesan, the leader of the Democratic Peoples Front (DPF), who was once named by then US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice, in a statement issued on Wednesday, reminded the Tamils that the visiting US Asst Secretary Robert Blake was instrumental in providing US government's unconditional support to the war waged by the Sri Lankan state against Tamils. The “US government wanted put out a savior impression. But in real it did not bother about the Tamil civilian causalities,” Mr. Mano Ganesan said. “International community should act decisively with the GoSL. It is time that US assistant state secretary for central and south Asia affaires Robert O Blake lives upto his earlier ambassadorial preaching. He should not mislead the Tamils again.”
“Those who supported the war efforts unconditionally do have the moral responsibility towards the Tamil community. US and UN failed to act decisively to prevent civilian causalities.”
“The aftermath conditions of the UNSG’s panel report today is based on two fundamentals. One is the accountability issue. The other is the opening for political solution. The war has been won but it has further polarized Sri Lankans on ethnic lines. It can be cured only by a sincere political solution,” the statement by Mr. Mano Ganesan said.
Full text of the statement follows: Full Story>>>
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U.S. - Sri Lanka Relations
Press Conference
Robert O. Blake, Jr.Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
Colombo, Sri Lanka
May 4, 2011
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE: It is a pleasure to return to Colombo and see so many old friends. I have had a series of productive meetings with Defense Secretary Rajapaksa and External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris, members of the opposition, and representatives of civil society.
I also had the chance yesterday to visit Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu for the first time. Both of those places were still under LTTE rule during my tenure as Ambassador, so I was particularly heartened to see the progress and development that has occurred there, and the results of some of the U.S. assistance programs.
I had the chance to hear of the progress of demining programs we are funding in Kilinochchi and to meet with students who are now back in school as a result of that demining. I participated in a ceremony in Kilinochchi where we distributed 4,000 water pumps to formerly displaced families. Those pumps will help over 17,000 families to earn a living on their farms.
In Mullaitivu, I met aspiring fishermen and women who received thousands of baby fish known as fingerlings donated by the United States government that will provide new sources of jobs for the people of the north.
Full Story>>>
I also had the chance yesterday to visit Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu for the first time. Both of those places were still under LTTE rule during my tenure as Ambassador, so I was particularly heartened to see the progress and development that has occurred there, and the results of some of the U.S. assistance programs.
I had the chance to hear of the progress of demining programs we are funding in Kilinochchi and to meet with students who are now back in school as a result of that demining. I participated in a ceremony in Kilinochchi where we distributed 4,000 water pumps to formerly displaced families. Those pumps will help over 17,000 families to earn a living on their farms.
In Mullaitivu, I met aspiring fishermen and women who received thousands of baby fish known as fingerlings donated by the United States government that will provide new sources of jobs for the people of the north.
Full Story>>>
