Tamils, Sinhalese must share power for Lanka peace: USA !!!

With the end of civil war in Sri Lanka after military victory over the LTTE, the US has asked Colombo to initiate a "power sharing arrangement" among Tamils, Sinhalese and others for a "lasting peace" as well as to heal the wounds of the conflict that killed thousands.

"To truly defeat terrorism, the Government of Sri Lanka needs to begin to heal the wounds of the conflict and work toward building a democratic, prosperous, tolerant and united Sri Lanka and work toward justice and reconciliation for both sides," the State Department spokesman, Ian Kelly, said in a statement.

"A lasting peace in Sri Lanka depends on Sinhalese, Tamils and all other Sri Lankans working together to achieve new power sharing arrangements that safeguard and promote the rights of all Sri Lankans," Kelly said.

Welcoming the cessation of fighting, the United States, however, said it remains deeply concerned of the welfare of the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons uprooted by the recent fighting.

Stop Aid to Sri Lanka : USA

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that this is not an appropriate time to talk about International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) $2 billion loan to Sri Lanka.

After Britain, the US is the second country which appears to be opposing the massive loan from the IMF to Sri Lanka, which is currently under consideration.

“This is a very troubling humanitarian crisis, and we have been focused on it and trying to convince both sides to cease their hostilities. We have also raised questions about the IMF loan at this time,” Clinton told the State Department reporters.

“We think that it is not an appropriate time to consider that until there is a resolution of this conflict. And that’s what we’re focused on trying to help bring about,” Clinton said.

She was addressing a joint press conference with visiting Malaysian foreign minister Y.B. Datuk Anifah bin Haji Aman.

Observing that the US has been very clear in its statements — the most recent one by the President — that there needs to be a cessation of the hostilities and humanitarian relief to be provided to the people who are trapped in the fighting.

“We’ve called on both sides to cease their hostilities. And we’ve asked that both sides permit humanitarian relief to be delivered, and at the very least, a high-level humanitarian mission to make an assessment of what relief is necessary,” Clinton said.