U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz called for unity in the wake of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that killed at least 359 innocent people, including four U.S. citizens. Noting the progress Sri Lanka has made in building trust and ties among people of different faiths and ethnicities over the last few years, she urged Sri Lankans to remain unified.
“These terrible attacks are the work of a few individuals and not of an entire community,” Ambassador Teplitz said. “Sri Lankans of all backgrounds and faiths have come together to condemn these atrocities. Unity is the most powerful answer to terrorism.”
Ambassador Teplitz stated that President Trump’s offer of assistance was both concrete and significant: expert teams from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) are providing support to the Sri Lankan-led investigation into the attacks, at the behest of the Sri Lankan Government. These teams are working side-by-side with Sri Lankan law enforcement officials in forensics and crime scene investigations. The Embassy is working to determine ways in which we can assist Sri Lanka’s communities in coming together in the aftermath of this tragedy.
“We want to provide all possible support to Sri Lanka’s efforts and are assisting at the invitation of the government,” the Ambassador added. “Conspiracy theories about the involvement of the U.S. military draw attention away from where it should be focused, which is firmly on the victims and their families.” The cooperation is part of the growing partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka. Security is a key component of that partnership. “As a close friend to Sri Lanka, we are heartbroken by these attacks. We’re committed to helping Sri Lanka emerge from this crisis stronger and more unified.”
Sri Lanka should rise above politics
Sri Lanka’s leaders must set aside their differences to focus on the pressing security and economic challenges facing the island nation after the deadly Easter bombings, the top U.S. envoy said in an interview.
"They have to rise above the politics to address the situation at hand," ambassador Teplitz said in a phone interview on Wednesday.
"Already, many friends of Sri Lanka have been encouraging them to get past some of the politics and focus on the needs of the country, particularly around their economic future."
Investor ConcernsThe U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Sri Lankan government in its investigation of the "very sophisticated attack," she said. But the country’s leaders now need to pull together and make sure investors and tourists -- a big source of revenue -- feel secure enough to invest in and visit the tropical country, particularly after Sirisena’s attempt to fire Wickremesinghe last year paralyzed government.
"There was a constitutional crisis at the end of the year that certainly caused tourists and investors to pause," Teplitz said. "The government itself admits very serious intelligence lapses. The effort has to be how they address those weaknesses and shore this up for the future. As a country, it still has tremendous potential -- to be booming, frankly -- and tourism is probably a leading sector in that."
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