Top US officials coming here

Two high-ranking envoys from the United States will visit Sri Lanka this week to assess the impact of US sanctions on Iran. They are also expected to raise sensitive human rights issues ahead of the crucial United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva in late February.

While Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Luke Bronin will arrive on February 2 to discuss with Sri Lankan government officials how US sanctions will affect the Sri Lankan financial system, War Crimes Issues Ambassadorat-large Stephen J. Rapp is due on February 5. Plantations Minister and Human Rights Special Envoy Mahinda Samarasinghe said he was yet to be officially informed of Mr. Rapp’s visit and that no meeting had been fixed with the US envoy.

A US Embassy spokesperson when asked for details about Mr. Rapp’s visit to Colombo said, “We are still working on his schedule.” Ambassador Rapp is the head of the State Depar tment Office of Global Criminal Justice. According to the US State Depar tment website, Ambassador Rapp’s Office, “advises the Secretary of State and Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights and formulates U.S. policy on prevention and accountability for mass atrocities. It also works closely with other governments, international institutions, and non-government organizations to establish and assist international and domestic commissions, cour ts and tribunals to investigate, judge, and deter atrocity crimes in every region of the globe.”

The State Depar tment website further states, “The Ambassador-at-large coordinates the deployment of a range of diplomatic, legal, economic, military, and intelligence tools to help expose the truth, judge those responsible, protect and assist victims, enable reconciliation, and build the rule of law.”