New US envoy to Colombo has Iraq, Lebanon experience

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 June 2012, 20:50 GMT]
The US ambassador-designate to be sent to Colombo, Ms Michele Sison is currently assistant chief of mission for law enforcement and rule of law at the US embassy in Baghdad, AP reported Wednesday. Her earlier experiences include ambassadorial assignments in Lebanon and United Arab Emirates. Sison said the U.S. was looking for "near term progress" by Sri Lanka, particularly in setting a date for provincial elections in the country's north and demilitarization of former conflict zones.

Appearing before the US Senate prior to her appointment confirmation, Sison said, lack of investigation into the serious allegations of the violation of international human rights law in the island has slowed reconciliation. “One cannot have true reconciliation, without that accountability.”

AP cited Democrat Senator Robert Casey urging independent investigation into alleged war crimes and saying that the issue would not go away “until the world sees results.”

The issue would not go away until international justice come to the national question of the nation of Eezham Tamils and the nation’s collective human rights, responded Eezham Tamil political circles.