US lawmakers call for additional support for Sri Lanka

• Asks administration to incorporate measures to support stabilisation of SL
• Highlights concerns of humanitarian agencies about country
• Calls on State Department to ensure SL Govt. protects rights of citizens 

Ten US congress members have written to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power, calling on them to provide additional support to Sri Lanka. 

The group told Blinken and Power that they are deeply concerned by the unprecedented and disastrous economic crisis currently facing Sri Lanka and urged them to take additional swift action to provide meaningful support to the Sri Lankan people in their time of need.

“More broadly, we ask the administration to fully incorporate measures supporting the stabilisation of Sri Lanka. This includes advancing efforts to address longstanding issues related to accountability and reconciliation and improving democratic institutions in Sri Lanka to meet our broader foreign policy goals for the region,” they said. 

While highlighting the concerns raised by humanitarian agencies about Sri Lanka, the lawmakers noted in response to this tremendous economic hardship, Sri Lankans have for weeks taken to the streets in protest of successive governments’ severe mismanagement of the country’s finances.

“In his new position of power, President Wickremesinghe announced a State of Emergency, placed the nation under curfew, denounced the protests, and even suggested the use of live ammunition in quelling them. We urge the State Department to continue to use all diplomatic means available to ensure the Sri Lankan Government protects the right of suffering citizens to peacefully protest and does not utilise violence against peaceful demonstrators and journalists,” they said. 

“It is clear these demonstrations will not cease until the Government effectively addresses the root causes of corruption and economic mismanagement which led to this crisis. We urge the Administration to continue to support the Sri Lankan Government and people as they work to implement democratic and economic reforms.” the group added. 

However, they also recognised the efforts already made by the State Department and USAID to address the urgent needs of the people of Sri Lanka but said more support is clearly needed now.