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A letter that members of Lanka Solidarity sent to The Wall Street Journal. The letter, published in today's issue, was edited, so we circulate the full version here.

Dear Editor,

In his recent piece, "Sri Lanka Looks to the Future," (Feb. 4) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse correctly observes that his country's Jan. 26 presidential elections were historic.  With 25 years of conflict at an end, Sri Lanka has the chance to transform its political fortunes and ensure peace, democracy, and dignity for all its peoples. But if the rest of his blinkered piece is any indication, President Rajapakse seems poised to miss this historic opportunity.

Rajapakse gestures only vaguely toward a political solution and minority grievances, dwelling instead on Sri Lanka’s potential for investors and tourists.  Certainly, economic development is necessary for sustainable peace. This kind of growth, however, should neither substitute for nor distract from the critical challenges of reconciliation among the country's multiple communities, implementation of a permanent political solution, and the demilitarization and democratization of society.

Lanka Solidarity welcomes the United States' ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, as that country continues its transition into what we hope will be a period of real reconciliation and political change.

Two staff members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations recently produced a report with recommendations regarding American foreign policy on Sri Lanka.  Media coverage of this report has suggested that the U.S. might shift its policy to focus on its own geopolitical interests to the exclusion of its humanitarian and human rights commitments. Lanka Solidarity believes such a shift would be premature and would hinder the U.S.'s effective engagement with Sri Lanka.

As such, we are glad to note that this is only one of a number of ways in which the U.S. government has chosen to study and engage Sri Lanka.  In particular, we welcome the reassurances of the U.S. State Department that human rights concerns remain central to U.S. policy. We also support the 2010 Appropriations bill call for a follow-up to the first State Department report on war crimes in Sri Lanka, as well as the suspension of military assistance until certain conditions are met.    

Further, we reiterate that when the U.S. has taken a principled stand on human rights and humanitarian concerns,  and applied appropriate pressure to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), this pressure has led to substantial progress in protecting human rights, improving humanitarian conditions, and promoting stability in Sri Lanka and the region.     

This moment in Sri Lanka's history presents an opportunity to support real political change and reconciliation. However, we suggest that constructive engagement can take a different shape than that recommended by the report.

In November 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution that calls on the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to help the populations held in guarded camps to return to their homes.  This follows a recent report by the U.S. State Department that compiled a list of incidents that allegedly occurred in the final stages of war, which may have violated international humanitarian law.  Additionally, a September report by the European Union found that the violation of key international laws could lead to potential trade sanctions.  Such strong statements against the GoSL indicate that international observers are watching the response of the authorities to Tamil populations after the end of the war.

The withdrawal of trade concessions worth tens of millions of dollars would devastate the Sri Lankan garment and fishing industries.  However, it is unlikely that the Western governments will actually follow through with serious sanctions, given the recent approval of an economy-saving IMF loan. The reports and resolution demonstrate an interest in seeing serious efforts at reconciliation and reconstruction.  Yet, it is unclear whether this will lead to any actual effort on the authorities in Sri Lanka.  The GoSL's post-war expansion of the military does not suggest that they are necessarily focusing on the betterment of civil society. Rather, it shows Mahinda Rajapakse's campaign to capitalize on the population's support and further strengthen the current autocratic regime. With elections held two years early, in May 2010, Rajapakse has the opportunity to solidify his control on within the country and continue his brazen form of rule, which has been characterized by the politics of fear, the crushing of dissenting voices, and the silencing of civil society.