Stop paramilitary activity in north; US tells govt

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 
  

The United States today called for paramilitary activity in the North to be controlled and for Tamil Policemen to be deployed to the North. The US Assistant Secretary of State Robert O. Blake also expressed his concern about Human Rights in the country.

“I am concerned about human rights. I discussed with relevant officials the importance of disarming paramilitary groups, on which progress is being made. It is important to deploy Tamil policeman in the north so the military no longer needs to perform these functions,” he said.

Blake specifically named the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) as having a strong paramilitary presence in the north. “Paramilitary groups are not allowed to carry weapons in public. While I was in Jaffna I myself, experienced the power of the EPDP who was able to prevent me from meeting with some university students,” he said. Read more.
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Act or we will says Blake

Wednesday, September 14, 2011 

The United States says if Sri Lanka fails to address concerns of human rights violations there will be pressure from outside including from the US government US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake, addressing reporters in Colombo today (Wednesday) said that the US government is keenly awaiting the report of the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) which is due in November. Read More » 
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Blake for Credible Probe into War Crimes in Lanka

PTI | Colombo | Sep 14, 2011
Top US envoy Robert Blake today told Sri Lanka to order a "credible and independent" probe into alleged war crimes and also called for Tamil speaking policemen in the north to rebuild confidence.

"It is important to deploy Tamil police in the north so the military no longer needs to perform these functions," visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs, Blake said.Full Story>>>