Robert Blake .. call for Northern Provincial Council polls

A top US official visiting Sri Lanka yesterday called on the government to reduce its military presence in the northern part of the country, where Tamil rebels were defeated in 2009 following a 26-year-long civil war.
Government troops recaptured vast areas held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) in May 2009. During the final five months of fighting an estimated 7,500 civilians are believed to have died.
US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake told a news conference in Colombo that he had called on the government to reduce the “military role and profile in the north”, and also hold early provincial elections in the region, which is dominated by minority Tamils.
A former US ambassador in Colombo, Blake met leaders of the Sri Lankan government, including defence secretary Rajapakse and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), besides the civil society.
“On accountability, it is our hope that three years after the end of the conflict, there can be a credible and transparent investigation and prosecution of some of the outstanding and serious allegations of human rights violations, as well as progress on the missing.
“I also urged that the Northern Provincial Council elections be held as soon as possible and encouraged an early resumption of talks between the TNA and the government to agree on powers to be devolved to provinces.”
“Three years after the conflict there can be transparency and credibility on investigations and prosecution of some of the outstanding and serious allegations of violations of human rights,” Blake said.
Most of the major military camps remain in the northern of Sri Lanka, with the army continuing to play a major role in administrative activities.
Some residents in the north have not been able to return to their original homes, as the army continues to occupy the land.
The Sri Lankan defence ministry has defended the presence of the army, saying that they were required for security reasons.
A provincial election to the northern region has been long overdue and the government has said that the poll could be held only in September next year.
US Ambassador Michele J Sison presented her credentials to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse in Colombo yesterday.
Sison is a career member of the US Senior Foreign Service, the class of Minister-Counsellor, a US embassy statement said.
Sison previously served as the US ambassador to Lebanon (2008-10) and the United Arab Emirates (2004-08) and as assistant chief of mission in
Baghdad (2011-12). DPA