{
  "id": "RL31707",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL31707",
  "active": true,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 424224,
      "date": "2013-09-04",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-06T20:59:02.605978",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": "The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, is a constitutional democracy with a relatively high level of development. For two and a half decades, political, social, and economic development was seriously constrained by years of ethnic conflict and war between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers. After a violent end to the civil war in May 2009, in which authorities crushed LTTE forces and precipitated a humanitarian emergency in Sri Lanka\u2019s Tamil-dominated north, attention has turned to whether the government now has the ability and intention to build a stable peace in Sri Lanka.\nThis report provides historical, political, and economic background on Sri Lanka and examines U.S.-Sri Lanka relations and policy concerns. In recent years interest in Sri Lanka has focused on human rights issues related to the final stages of Sri Lanka\u2019s 26-year civil war with the LTTE, and its attendant humanitarian emergency. Sri Lanka has faced criticism for what has been viewed as an insufficient response to reported war crimes, a more nepotistic and ethnically biased government, as well as increasing restrictions on media and an unequal distribution of economic development. \nBetween 1983 and 2009, a separatist war costing at least 70,000 lives was waged against government forces by the LTTE, a rebel group that sought to establish a separate state or internal self-rule in the Tamil-dominated areas of the north and east. The United States designated the LTTE as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997. \nSri Lanka offers a test case of how to respond to a brutal military victory over a violent ethno-nationalist separatist movement. The situation presents decision-makers questions of how to balance the imperatives of seeking accountability and resolution, providing development assistance, and promoting broad geopolitical interests. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has a firm hold on government and popular support among the Sinhalese majority for his leadership in presiding over a military victory over the LTTE. But Sri Lanka remains a multi-ethnic society, where long-held historic grievances have been deepened still further by the conflict\u2019s brutal end. \nAlthough Sri Lanka maintains strong economic ties with countries in its close geographic proximity, Sri Lanka-India relations have been strained due to political and ethnic tensions (Sri Lanka\u2019s minority Tamils have strong linkages with Tamil communities in India), and there has been an increase in military and energy related investments from China in recent years. Sri Lanka remains the only South Asian nation with a high human development index ranking. \nThe United States recognizes the importance of the nation with its significant geographic positioning, and has paid close attention to human rights in the island nation. The U.S.-Sri Lanka relationship has been focused on human rights issues over the last few years, with an emphasis on U.S. sponsorship of resolutions through the United Nations Human Rights Council.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": true,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "encoding": "utf-8",
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL31707",
          "sha1": "e10d9438f1dc650eb654a4a1a30d90da8426891f",
          "filename": "files/20130904_RL31707_e10d9438f1dc650eb654a4a1a30d90da8426891f.html",
          "images": null
        },
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "encoding": null,
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31707",
          "sha1": "0a6aac550a3d4fb754d68af95e8956f3d789b3c3",
          "filename": "files/20130904_RL31707_0a6aac550a3d4fb754d68af95e8956f3d789b3c3.pdf",
          "images": null
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "IBCList",
          "id": 468,
          "name": "South Asia"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc807289/",
      "id": "RL31707_2011Jun16",
      "date": "2011-06-16",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20110616_RL31707_5f96d3437ec2eaa610010bf58776e99aea1ce3d4.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20110616_RL31707_5f96d3437ec2eaa610010bf58776e99aea1ce3d4.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": []
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc689388/",
      "id": "RL31707_2009Jun04",
      "date": "2009-07-04",
      "retrieved": "2015-08-03T15:06:47",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": "This report provides historical, political, and economic background on Sri Lanka and examines U.S.-Sri Lankan relations and policy concerns. Congressional interest in Sri Lanka has focused on renewed and serious violent ethnic conflict in a quarter-century-old civil war, an attendant humanitarian emergency, and efforts to revive a moribund peace process.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20090704_RL31707_22d1caa61d0f59f09b80227ea484fb92dfebb7cb.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20090704_RL31707_22d1caa61d0f59f09b80227ea484fb92dfebb7cb.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government",
          "name": "Politics and government"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign policy",
          "name": "Foreign policy"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government -- Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Politics and government -- Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign relations -- Sri Lanka -- U.S.",
          "name": "Foreign relations -- Sri Lanka -- U.S."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc806644/",
      "id": "RL31707_2008Jan22",
      "date": "2008-01-22",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20080122_RL31707_820ea94565ff1ec280c7e5dd599963692ce36ed3.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20080122_RL31707_820ea94565ff1ec280c7e5dd599963692ce36ed3.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": []
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs9345/",
      "id": "RL31707 2006-08-01",
      "date": "2006-08-01",
      "retrieved": "2006-12-05T09:49:21",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20060801_RL31707_5214286a1ace31e4f33d317d6de726fbd2cb6f4e.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20060801_RL31707_5214286a1ace31e4f33d317d6de726fbd2cb6f4e.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign policy",
          "name": "Foreign policy"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign relations - Sri Lanka - U.S.",
          "name": "Foreign relations - Sri Lanka - U.S."
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs6928/",
      "id": "RL31707 2005-05-16",
      "date": "2005-05-16",
      "retrieved": "2005-08-16T10:08:49",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20050516_RL31707_cac70d3618905cba74bf68ed0488e8394200fb89.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20050516_RL31707_cac70d3618905cba74bf68ed0488e8394200fb89.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government",
          "name": "Politics and government"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Politics and government - Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign policy",
          "name": "Foreign policy"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs5239/",
      "id": "RL31707 2003-09-10",
      "date": "2003-09-10",
      "retrieved": "2005-06-12T02:20:28",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20030910_RL31707_87ae3556c50967f21290c7f973873a0bd46e4146.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20030910_RL31707_87ae3556c50967f21290c7f973873a0bd46e4146.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government",
          "name": "Politics and government"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Politics and government - Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign policy",
          "name": "Foreign policy"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs5238/",
      "id": "RL31707 2003-05-30",
      "date": "2003-05-30",
      "retrieved": "2005-06-12T02:19:49",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20030530_RL31707_ca6f7aa64a00af987c6a7ffa38ed3be090e04ab7.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20030530_RL31707_ca6f7aa64a00af987c6a7ffa38ed3be090e04ab7.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government",
          "name": "Politics and government"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Politics and government - Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign policy",
          "name": "Foreign policy"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs7050/",
      "id": "RL31707 2003-04-09",
      "date": "2003-04-09",
      "retrieved": "2005-09-20T10:13:06",
      "title": "Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORT",
      "active": false,
      "formats": [
        {
          "format": "PDF",
          "filename": "files/20030409_RL31707_c931bb6126c2c7596db9be413c9fc5ca86fc1b51.pdf"
        },
        {
          "format": "HTML",
          "filename": "files/20030409_RL31707_c931bb6126c2c7596db9be413c9fc5ca86fc1b51.html"
        }
      ],
      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government",
          "name": "Politics and government"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Politics and government - Sri Lanka",
          "name": "Politics and government - Sri Lanka"
        },
        {
          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Foreign policy",
          "name": "Foreign policy"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Asian Affairs",
    "Constitutional Questions",
    "Economic Policy",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}