Ira de Silva Ontario, Canada

Mr. Robert O.Blake
Assistant Secretary of State
South & Central Asia
State Department
Washington, U.S.A.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Dear Sir:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
I have just read details of an interview you have given to the BBC which appears in the Sri Lankan media titled “U.S. not Happy With Sri Lanka” – Daily Mirror February 23,2010. It states that according to you “the US is not satisfied with the manner in which the Sri Lankan government has handled the issue of former Sri Lankan Army chief General Sarath Fonseka’s arrest and hoped that Colombo would follow the rules of the land in this case”. I am writing without delay to let you know that although you may not be “satisfied” the “rules of the land” are being followed and there is no need for “concern” on your partƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ unlessƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ your concern isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ because any plans you had to interfere in Sri Lanka using General Fonseka have gone awry.

You state “so far I think it has been less than we might have hoped for” – not knowing exactly what you hoped for, it is not possible to make a comment. However, it is well known that you
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
a) made every effort to save the hierarchy of the LTTE and tried to evacuate them from Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in 2009,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
b) worked tirelessly with Norway, Britain and other European countries as well as the U.N. to pressure Sri Lanka to release the leaders of the LTTE.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
The question Sri Lankans have for you is, ifƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ U.S. forces in Afghanistan were so fortunate as to surround the leadership of Al Quaeda or the Taliban, would you arrange for them to be evacuated to a safe haven so that they could re-group and come back to kill more U.S. forces? To not do so would be less than what we hope of you and the U.S.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
You state “we have encouraged the government to make public as quickly as possible what those charges are”.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I am sure you will be “encouraged” to know that there are regular reports in the media that statements are being recorded on a daily basis from witnesses and suspects and that as soon as any charges are filed, Ms. Butenis will hasten to inform you so that your “concerns” will be reduced.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Re “he said Sri Lankans themselves have spoken about the manner in which General Fonseka was arrested” – please note that what has been “spoken” is published in the media in Sri Lanka and should indicate to you and others interested in Sri Lanka that thereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are no secret trials taking place. Also please note, that he is housed in Navy quarters with all facilities, his wife and lawyers visit him daily and that has is not being detained in Guantanamo type conditions, there is no water boarding or other such typesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “encouragements” the U.S.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ renowned for throughout the world.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
You state thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “one of the highest priorities now is first, to complete the resettlement of the internally displaced people. About 180,000 have been sent back from the camps, but approximately 100,000 still remain”. In this matter too you can strike it off your list of priorities as just today the minister responsible for resettlement has indicated that resettlement will be completed in a matter of months. What you do not mention is that many of the people currently awaiting resettlement do not want to leave the camps as they have no where to go given that the LTTE drove them from their homes and used them as a human shield over a period of years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A question that many Sri Lankans have for you is, why you did nothing to stop the LTTE from carrying out this type of action ratherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ than supporting them and trying your best to save them. If you had acted in an ethical manner andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ used your influence with the LTTE, there would be no need for you to make the statement “so I think it’s important for them to be allowed to return to their homes and villages in the north as quickly as possible” because they would have never had to leave their homes and villages. As resettlement of the displaced are one of your highest priorities in Sri Lanka, why is it not a priority in areas where U.S. forces are causing the displacement of not hundreds but hundreds of thousand?

“Blake said it is important for the government to pursue as quickly as possible this process of national reconciliation and power sharing, particularly with the north”. There is no need for you to get anxious – rest assured that theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ government realises the the importance of reconciliation and as stated on many occasions, the solution will be “home grown”. It may not be what you “hope for” because as a supporter of the LTTE you would want no less than their “Eelam” but as the people of Sri Lanka have rejected that goal, please modify your expectations so that your “concerns” will be reduced and that U.S. policy will be based on realistic goals other than the division of Sri Lanka and/or regime change given that regime change is a favourite policyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of the U.S.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
You state thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “as part of that national reconciliation process, to begin a process of accountability for many of the human rights abuses that may have occurred during that war”. Sri Lankans hope that the U.S. will establish a blue print for the process of accountability for the many human rights abuses that have taken place for years and ARE TAKING place (not may have occurred) during your wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just today, more civilians have been killed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Again, millionsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have been displacedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ – when are they goingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to be re-settled? Once that blue print has been broadcast to the world, I am sure that little Sri Lanka will immediately take notice of it and do the best it can to follow.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Finally,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  regarding “one aspect of democracy, of course, is respect for human rights. I think there can be, there needs to be improvements in that area”. Well said Mr. Blake. Please note that Sri Lanka has one of the oldest democracies in South Asia. As for human rights , again, why not lead by example and respect the human rights in all those areas where the U.S. is dropping bombs on a daily basisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ killing civilians, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ driving people from their homes, depriving them of their livelihood or do you consider that these actions respect human rights? Your comment regarding Sri Lanka applies equally to the U.S. Sri LankansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “think there can be, there needs to be improvements in that area”.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Yours truly,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Ira de Silva
Ontario, Canada
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚