Despite continuing human rights violations including intimidation of media personnel, abductions and killings attributed to state security forces, the US has announced $ 12 million in aid to Sri Lanka.
The U.S. government announcement comes, even as the U.S. congress ruled out Sri Lanka for a debt cancellation programme due to its human rights situation.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a five-year, $12 million contract to support regional government in Sri Lanka's eastern and north central provinces.
Prior to the Pradeshiya sabha elections, US Ambassador Robert Blake raised his concerns of a stage managed 'election' in the Batticaloa District and emphasized the urgent need to disarm all armed groups operating in the East. He also publicly warned that US aid to Batticaloa would not be forthcoming if the elections were not free and fair.
The elections conducted under in an atmosphere of fear and violence were won by Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), an armed paramilitary group. However deviating from its initial position the U.S. has now decided to fund the regional government headed by the paramilitary group, accused of numerous rights abuses including torture, extortion, kidnapping, and killings.
According to USAID, the investment will expand the agency's democracy and governance work by helping to improve the areas of security, local government accountability and conflict resolution.
"USAID remains committed to its assistance programs in Sri Lanka despite the renewed conflict," said Rebecca Cohn, USAID/Sri Lanka mission director. "We're confident our new partnership with ARD will support our goal of helping Sri Lanka and apply the best governance practices from around the world."
The program, called Supporting Regional Governance, will build on USAID/Sri Lanka's successful democracy and governance efforts, designed several years ago to address development needs resulting from the on-going ethnic conflict after the ceasefire agreement. The new program also aims to improve regional government in eastern Sri Lanka by increasing citizen participation.
In the meantime, the United States Congress is expected to endorse a legislative proposal shortly urging for the cancellation of debts owed by some of the world’s poorest countries but nations including Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Laos have been singled out due to their human rights situation and other financial management standard issues.
Sri Lanka’s debt to the United States alone amounts to a whopping Rs. 53 billion while the total foreign debt is a massive Rs. 1.3 trillion according to the Central Bank 2007 Annual Report released last week.
Jubilee USA Network, a group representing more than 80 religious denominations, development agencies, and human rights organisations from across the United States are spearheading the campaign calling for the cancellations of the debts.
The network is of the view that the lending practices of international financial institutions are responsible for the suffering of the poor in developing nations.
“Twenty-two countries have already received close to 100 percent cancellation of their debts to the IMF, World Bank and regional development banks,” the network disclosed.
Sri Lanka falls under the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) programme but according to reports, the island does not meet the Jubilee Act standards in human rights and financial management standards.
“The proposed legislation calls for ‘greater responsibility’ in lending and borrowing in the future. Supporters of the bill say current lending practices are hampering development initiatives in many countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America,” a report filed in OneWorld stated.
The legislation calls on the US Treasury Department to negotiate with the IMF and World Bank for an agreement for debt cancellation for several poor nations that need financial help to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by world leaders in 2000, the report added.
The U.S. government announcement comes, even as the U.S. congress ruled out Sri Lanka for a debt cancellation programme due to its human rights situation.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a five-year, $12 million contract to support regional government in Sri Lanka's eastern and north central provinces.
Prior to the Pradeshiya sabha elections, US Ambassador Robert Blake raised his concerns of a stage managed 'election' in the Batticaloa District and emphasized the urgent need to disarm all armed groups operating in the East. He also publicly warned that US aid to Batticaloa would not be forthcoming if the elections were not free and fair.
The elections conducted under in an atmosphere of fear and violence were won by Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), an armed paramilitary group. However deviating from its initial position the U.S. has now decided to fund the regional government headed by the paramilitary group, accused of numerous rights abuses including torture, extortion, kidnapping, and killings.
According to USAID, the investment will expand the agency's democracy and governance work by helping to improve the areas of security, local government accountability and conflict resolution.
"USAID remains committed to its assistance programs in Sri Lanka despite the renewed conflict," said Rebecca Cohn, USAID/Sri Lanka mission director. "We're confident our new partnership with ARD will support our goal of helping Sri Lanka and apply the best governance practices from around the world."
The program, called Supporting Regional Governance, will build on USAID/Sri Lanka's successful democracy and governance efforts, designed several years ago to address development needs resulting from the on-going ethnic conflict after the ceasefire agreement. The new program also aims to improve regional government in eastern Sri Lanka by increasing citizen participation.
In the meantime, the United States Congress is expected to endorse a legislative proposal shortly urging for the cancellation of debts owed by some of the world’s poorest countries but nations including Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Laos have been singled out due to their human rights situation and other financial management standard issues.
Sri Lanka’s debt to the United States alone amounts to a whopping Rs. 53 billion while the total foreign debt is a massive Rs. 1.3 trillion according to the Central Bank 2007 Annual Report released last week.
Jubilee USA Network, a group representing more than 80 religious denominations, development agencies, and human rights organisations from across the United States are spearheading the campaign calling for the cancellations of the debts.
The network is of the view that the lending practices of international financial institutions are responsible for the suffering of the poor in developing nations.
“Twenty-two countries have already received close to 100 percent cancellation of their debts to the IMF, World Bank and regional development banks,” the network disclosed.
Sri Lanka falls under the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) programme but according to reports, the island does not meet the Jubilee Act standards in human rights and financial management standards.
“The proposed legislation calls for ‘greater responsibility’ in lending and borrowing in the future. Supporters of the bill say current lending practices are hampering development initiatives in many countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America,” a report filed in OneWorld stated.
The legislation calls on the US Treasury Department to negotiate with the IMF and World Bank for an agreement for debt cancellation for several poor nations that need financial help to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by world leaders in 2000, the report added.
