In Sri
Lanka, US
Samantha Power
Now Cites
Ranil,
Accountability
Q
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
January 8 --
On Sri Lanka's
election,
after Mahinda
Rajapaksa
conceded
defeat but
before 10:30
pm on January
8 in
Washington, US
Secretary of
State issued a
statement,
below.
Inner City
Press
published it,
and asked the
UN for its
comment. Told
to expect one
in the AM, New
York time,
Inner City
Press noted,
the earlier
the better.
Twelve hours
later, nothing
(but see below).
Now
at 8 pm on
January 9, US
Ambassador
Samantha Power
has chimed in,
and we publish
it in full:
"I
congratulate
the people of
Sri Lanka for
successfully
concluding
their
elections and
I salute the
efforts of the
Sri Lankan
Elections
Commissioner,
security
forces,
members of
civil society,
and the
candidates
themselves,
who worked to
ensure a
peaceful
environment
for voters to
exercise their
rights. The
country’s
constitutional
transfer of
power is
further proof
of the
strength of
Sri Lanka’s
democracy.
"The United
States looks
forward to
working with
the people of
Sri Lanka,
President
Maithripala
Sirisena,
Prime Minister
Ranil
Wickremesinghe,
and the Sri
Lankan
government to
strengthen
democracy and
human rights,
and ensure a
better future
for all Sri
Lankans."
Some questioned
whether Power
said enough
during the
Bloodbath on
the Beach in
2009, and
since. The
point, now, is
what is done
to ensure that
there is
accountability.
We will cover
this.
Earlier on January
9 Inner City
Press asked at
the noon
briefing,
after new President
Sirisena's
inauguration,
and UN Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq
said the UN
welcomes the
transfer of
power, then
later in the
briefing read
out this
statement:
"The
Secretary-General
congratulates
the people of
Sri Lanka on
the successful
conclusion of
the
presidential
election, and
welcomes the
constitutional
transfer of
power.
"The
Secretary-General
applauds the
Sri Lankan
Elections
Commission for
its
professionalism
in ensuring a
peaceful and
credible
election. He
also commends
the efforts of
the
candidates,
including in
particular
outgoing
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa, law
enforcement
agencies and
civil society
for upholding
and respecting
democratic
governance.
"The
Secretary-General
looks forward
to working
with President
Maithripala
Sirisena and
the people of
Sri Lanka. He
affirms the
continuous
support of the
United Nations
for
development,
reconciliation,
political
dialogue and
accountability
in Sri Lanka."
Inner City
Press immediately
asked Haq if
what this
reference to
accountability
portends for
the UN inquiry
into the
events in
2009. We'll
have more on
this.
Amnesty
International
has said that
"Sri Lanka has
for years
resisted all
international
efforts to
investigate
the conflict
years, and
instead relied
on domestic
investigation
bodies that
toed the
government
line. This has
to end – the
new government
should
cooperate
fully with the
UN
investigation.”
Watch this
site.
In other
possible
routes to
accountability,
talk of
seeking
justice in US
courts as to
several joint
American
citizens in
Team Rajapaksa
- or on the
team during
the 2009
"Bloodbath on
the Beach" --
has picked up.
Some team
members have
reportedly
already left
the country:
we'll have
more on this.
Kerry
said:
STATEMENT BY
SECRETARY
KERRY
January 8,
2015
Conclusion of
Sri Lankan
Elections and
Election of
Maithripala
Sirisena
The Sri Lankan
people deserve
great credit
on the
successful
conclusion of
their
elections.
They turned
out in great
numbers to
exercise their
democratic
rights and
every vote was
a victory for
Sri Lanka.
The United
States
applauds the
Sri Lankan
Elections
Commissioner,
the security
forces, Sri
Lankan civil
society, and
the candidates
themselves for
making sure
this election
was not marred
by unrest and
for ensuring a
significant
drop in
campaign-related
violence. It
will be
important for
that effort to
continue in
the coming
days.
I commend
President
Rajapaksa for
accepting the
results of the
election in
the proud
tradition of
peaceful and
orderly
transfers of
power in Sri
Lanka. His
words tonight
about
accepting the
verdict of the
people and
moving forward
are important.
I look forward
to working
with
President-elect
Maithripala
Sirisena as
his new
government
works to
implement its
campaign
platform of a
Sri Lanka that
is peaceful,
inclusive,
democratic,
and
prosperous."
It's
done. But what
does it
portend for
the
Rajapaksas'
military /
diplomatic
corps, like
Shavendra
Silva and in
New York,
Palitha
Kohona?
, 
