US Senators to watch ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’

Saturday, 16 July 2011 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

(TruthDive): Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International-USA, the International Crisis Group, and Open Society Foundations in conjunction with Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission are screening the “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” Documentary at Capitol Visitors’ Centre, Congressional Auditorium and Atrium, Washington D.C, on Friday, 15 July, at 3 p.m. for US policy makers, Senators and Congressmen.

An elaborate arrangement has been made to view and discuss the harrowing documentary, “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields.” First aired in British television in June, “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” captures footage and extensive interviews with witnesses. The documentary reveals the atrocities committed against civilians during the Sri Lankan Armed Forces’ final campaign to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in early 2009.

The film was recently screened at the United Nations in New York and Geneva, and has fuelled renewed calls for an international response to these crimes. U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern, Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, will give introductory remarks before the film screening. After the film, panellists will discuss ongoing efforts to further accountability in Sri Lanka, including the findings of the recent U.N. Panel of Experts report on war crimes in Sri Lanka, and the U.S. response to these developments.

Several organisations and human rights activists have initiated campaigns via email, phone, Facebook and Twitter to urge their representative to attend the screening and the Q/A session.

The campaign is to open a debate on why there needs to be accountability in Sri Lanka and why Congress should quickly pass Rep. Grimm’s H.Res. 177, the companion bill to S.Res. 84 that passed unanimously in March.