These are extracts from US Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead’s address to the American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka:
At the Embassy, we are currently doing our annual goal setting exercise. As has been the case since arriving here, our goals boil down to two simple, yet complementary themes: peace and prosperity.
Today, however, there is an overriding theme that trumps all the others: Peace.
The peace process is paramount.
As we look at peace and prosperity, we are at a point in the cycle when the furtherance of peace is perhaps the single most important thing that can push Sri Lanka along the path to further prosperity.
A failure to capitalize on peace now will have significant negative repercussions in the months and years ahead. It will be especially bad for the economy and the underlying businesses that drive it.
What I was pleased to find at the Co-Chairs meeting in Brussels, was a continued optimism on the part of my fellow co-chair participants that, despite recent damage to the ceasefire and the peace process, a strong hope for progress remains.
We went on to outline those recent events and statements that we saw as useful and those that we saw as detrimental to the process.
In that vein, I have to take a moment here to congratulate the Government on its continued restraint, despite the recent provocative actions by the LTTE.
Similarly, the US calls on the LTTE to stop its violent activities and to return to the negotiating table with the Government of Sri Lanka in order to work towards a stable, permanent peace.
There can be a role for the LTTE in future development of Sri Lanka, but only if it returns to the peace table, renounces terrorism in word and deed and become a responsible participant in Sri Lanka’s future. And this will lead to a better life for the Tamils and all Sri Lankans in the North and East.
The LTTE’s current actions call into question its “leadership” of the Tamil people. What kinds of leaders block their people from realizing their most fundamental democratic aspirations? What kinds of leaders allow their people to continue to suffer from a lack of investment and industry? What kinds of leaders continue to pursue violence when the clear benefits of peace are obvious?
These are not acts of leadership. They directly undermine LTTE claims to legitimacy and they keep the aspirations of the Tamil people bottled up.
The United States remains committed to the peace process in Sri Lanka, and in helping the legitimate governing bodies of Sri Lanka to prepare for their roles in developing and protecting their citizens.
Through our USAID program, we are helping to increase the competitiveness of Sri Lankan industries, we are helping Sri Lanka rebuild after the tsunami, and we are supporting efforts to help people realize the benefits of peace.
Through our military training and assistance programs, including efforts to help with counterterrorism initiatives and block illegal financial transactions, we are helping to shape the ability of the Sri Lankan Government to protect its people and defend its interests.
Let me be clear, our military assistance is not given because we anticipate or hope for a return to hostilities.
We want peace. We support peace. And we will stand with the people of Sri Lanka who desire peace.
If the LTTE chooses to abandon peace, however, we want it to be clear, they will face a stronger, more capable and more determined Sri Lankan military. We want the cost of a return to war to be high.
Sri Lanka is at a tricky point in its history. It’s not clear if it is at a crossroads, or a cliff’s edge.
The US will continue to support a strong, unified Sri Lanka that seeks peace and prosperity and that offers an atmosphere of respect and justice for all citizens regardless of religion and race.
We will urge others in the International Community to do the same.
We have stood with Sri Lanka through the peace process as one of the co-chairs.
We are standing with Sri Lanka through the rebuilding process from the tsunami.
And we want to stand with Sri Lanka as it crosses the threshold from a situation of “no war” to one of peace and moves from a platform of low economic growth to a launching pad of economic dynamism.
At the Embassy, we are currently doing our annual goal setting exercise. As has been the case since arriving here, our goals boil down to two simple, yet complementary themes: peace and prosperity.
Today, however, there is an overriding theme that trumps all the others: Peace.
The peace process is paramount.
As we look at peace and prosperity, we are at a point in the cycle when the furtherance of peace is perhaps the single most important thing that can push Sri Lanka along the path to further prosperity.
A failure to capitalize on peace now will have significant negative repercussions in the months and years ahead. It will be especially bad for the economy and the underlying businesses that drive it.
What I was pleased to find at the Co-Chairs meeting in Brussels, was a continued optimism on the part of my fellow co-chair participants that, despite recent damage to the ceasefire and the peace process, a strong hope for progress remains.
We went on to outline those recent events and statements that we saw as useful and those that we saw as detrimental to the process.
In that vein, I have to take a moment here to congratulate the Government on its continued restraint, despite the recent provocative actions by the LTTE.
Similarly, the US calls on the LTTE to stop its violent activities and to return to the negotiating table with the Government of Sri Lanka in order to work towards a stable, permanent peace.
There can be a role for the LTTE in future development of Sri Lanka, but only if it returns to the peace table, renounces terrorism in word and deed and become a responsible participant in Sri Lanka’s future. And this will lead to a better life for the Tamils and all Sri Lankans in the North and East.
The LTTE’s current actions call into question its “leadership” of the Tamil people. What kinds of leaders block their people from realizing their most fundamental democratic aspirations? What kinds of leaders allow their people to continue to suffer from a lack of investment and industry? What kinds of leaders continue to pursue violence when the clear benefits of peace are obvious?
These are not acts of leadership. They directly undermine LTTE claims to legitimacy and they keep the aspirations of the Tamil people bottled up.
The United States remains committed to the peace process in Sri Lanka, and in helping the legitimate governing bodies of Sri Lanka to prepare for their roles in developing and protecting their citizens.
Through our USAID program, we are helping to increase the competitiveness of Sri Lankan industries, we are helping Sri Lanka rebuild after the tsunami, and we are supporting efforts to help people realize the benefits of peace.
Through our military training and assistance programs, including efforts to help with counterterrorism initiatives and block illegal financial transactions, we are helping to shape the ability of the Sri Lankan Government to protect its people and defend its interests.
Let me be clear, our military assistance is not given because we anticipate or hope for a return to hostilities.
We want peace. We support peace. And we will stand with the people of Sri Lanka who desire peace.
If the LTTE chooses to abandon peace, however, we want it to be clear, they will face a stronger, more capable and more determined Sri Lankan military. We want the cost of a return to war to be high.
Sri Lanka is at a tricky point in its history. It’s not clear if it is at a crossroads, or a cliff’s edge.
The US will continue to support a strong, unified Sri Lanka that seeks peace and prosperity and that offers an atmosphere of respect and justice for all citizens regardless of religion and race.
We will urge others in the International Community to do the same.
We have stood with Sri Lanka through the peace process as one of the co-chairs.
We are standing with Sri Lanka through the rebuilding process from the tsunami.
And we want to stand with Sri Lanka as it crosses the threshold from a situation of “no war” to one of peace and moves from a platform of low economic growth to a launching pad of economic dynamism.
