June 5, 2007

President and CEO Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Samuel Worthington
Chair
Charles MacCormack,
Save the Children
Vice Chair
Ritu Sharma,
Women’s Edge
Treasurer
Amy Coen,
Population Action International
Board of Directors
Nancy A. Aossey,
International Medical Corps
Kenneth Bacon, Refugees International
David Beckmann, Bread for the World
Carol Bellamy, World Learning
Sekyu Chang,
Korean American Sharing Movement
Julius Coles, Africare
Helene D. Gayle, CARE USA
Anne Lynam Godard, Christian Children’s Fund
Lee H. Hamilton,
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Khalil Jassemm, Life for Relief and Development
Neal Keny-Guyer, Mercy Corps
Elizabeth Lathem, US Committee for UNDP
Lelei Lelaulu, Counterpart International
Jo Luck, Heifer International
John McCullough, Church World Service
Stephen F. Moseley,
Academy for Educational Development
Daniel E. Pellegrom, Pathfinder International
Linda Pfeiffer, INMED
Robert Radtke,
Episcopal Relief and Development
Yolanda C. Richardson,
Centre for Development and Population Activities
George Rupp, International Rescue Committee
Zainab Salbi, Women for Women International
Ron Sconyers, Physicians for Peace
Kathy Spahn, Helen Keller International
Richard Stearns, World Vision
Tsehaye Teferra,
Ethiopian Community Development Council
Sam Worthington (Ex-Officio)
1400 16th. St., NW
Suite 210
Washington, DC 20036
PHONE: (202) 667-8227
FAX: (202) 667-8236
E-MAIL: ia@interaction.org
http://www.interaction.org
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Madame Secretary:
I am writing on behalf of InterAction, the largest coalition of development and humanitarian
organizations in the United States, to share our concern about the escalating humanitarian
crisis in Sri Lanka and the need for U.S. leadership to ensure an effective peace process and
an immediate safeguarding of human rights for the population. We are urging action and
support for continued U.S. leadership for the peace process, a human rights monitoring field
presence, full-time USAID/OFDA presence in country, and increased funding for
humanitarian assistance.
We commend Assistant Secretary of State Boucher for his recent visit to Sri Lanka as well
as Ambassador Blake’s diplomatic efforts. We would welcome even stronger United States
government engagement with the international community to take public steps to address
the immediate humanitarian situation, as well as to place pressure on all parties to engage in
a legitimate peace process and to ensure community-level human rights monitoring.
InterAction members are deeply concerned about the impact of the current conflict on the
civilian population. In the last year, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of
displaced people in Sri Lanka as a result of the expansion of active military engagement by
both sides. According to the United Nations, Sri Lanka now has the largest internally
displaced population in Asia, including 299,000 newly displaced since April 2006 due to the
conflict. We remain concerned about the poor conditions in camps where access to food,
clean water, sanitation facilities, and kerosene continue to be inadequate, as well as the
continued use of aerial bombing by both sides, which have directly contributed to the
displacement.
Of equal concern is the build up of arms in the camps, the lack of security provided by the
Government of Sri Lanka for the camps, and the repeated and widespread use of forced
return. We highlight the fact that the population is being moved into areas that are often not
yet cleared of landmines, where adequate food, shelter, and sanitation facilities have not yet
been established; actions that are in clear violation of international human rights norms.
Furthermore we are greatly concerned about the indications of an expanded military
campaign during the summer which will increase the number of displaced and exacerbate
this already very difficult and dangerous situation.
We urge that the United States continue to take the lead in addressing both the political and
humanitarian emergency in Sri Lanka. Given the U.S. role on the Sri Lankan Donor Group,
the United States Government has a special responsibility towards the Sri Lankan people.
We call on the United States to engage publicly with the Sri Lankan Government and the
international community to bring all parties together for an effective and genuine peace
process. As an effective first step in this process, we ask that the U.S. Government engage
with the Sri Lankan Government to halt aerial bombings in the north and east as an
important step in scaling back the conflict.

In addition, we ask that the United States co-sponsor, with the European Union, a resolution
in the United Nations Human Rights Council to ensure an international human rights field

Interaction is a membership association of US private voluntary organizations engaged in international humanitarian efforts including
relief, development, refugee assistance, environment, population, public policy, and global education.
 presence to monitor human rights violations in Sri Lanka and to ensure their immediate
redress.

To address the immediate consequences of the humanitarian crisis, we would urge that
USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance immediately establish a full-time and
robust operational presence in country in support of the coordination of humanitarian
assistance. In addition, we would ask that the United States Government make available
increased funding to address the immediate humanitarian needs of the population.

We have greatly appreciated the relationship we have developed over the years and look
forward to your leadership in securing human rights and peace for the people of Sri Lanka.

Sincerely,

Samuel A. Worthington
President & CEO

CC: Ms. Henrietta Fore, Acting Administrator USAID

Mr. Jim Kunder, Acting Deputy Administrator USAID
Mr. Mike Hess, Assistant Administrator DCHA/USAID
Mr. Ky Luu, Director OFDA/USAID

Interaction is a membership association of US private voluntary organizations engaged in international humanitarian efforts including
relief, development, refugee assistance, environment, population, public policy, and global education.