Bilateral relations
Sri Lanka and the United States established diplomatic relations on 23 October 1948.
In a 2005
BBC World Service
Poll, 30% of
Sri Lankans
view American influence positively, with 20% expressing a negative view.
[1]
According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 14% of
Sri Lankans
approve of U.S. leadership, with 37% disapproving and 49% uncertain.
[2]
History
[
edit
]
American people had been visiting the island since 1788, as spice traders and whalers.
American Mission
, established in 1813 Jaffna as part of the evangelising effort of the
American Bord of Commissioners for Foreign Mission
.
[3]
Colonel
Henry Steel Olcott
was a pivotal American figure in the late 19th-century, known for helping with revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, alongside
Helena Blavatsky
and others. His endeavors included promoting Buddhist education, establishing schools, and advocating for the rights of Buddhists during colonial rule, laying the foundation for a lasting Buddhist revival movement. Even today, Olcott's contributions are revered in Sri Lanka, with figures like Samitha Seneviratne, Vice President of the Ananda College Old Boys Association, recognizing his significant impact on the nation's cultural heritage, religious landscape, and ethical values.
[4]
After independence since 1948
[
edit
]
U.S. assistance has totalled more than $2 billion since Sri Lanka's independence in 1948.
[5]
Through the
U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID), it has contributed to Sri Lanka's economic growth with projects designed to reduce
unemployment
, improve
housing
, develop the
Colombo Stock Exchange
, modernize the
judicial system
, and improve competitiveness.
[6]
In addition, the
International Broadcasting Bureau
(IBB) operates a radio-transmitting station in Sri Lanka.
[5]
At the June 2003 Tokyo Donors' Conference on Sri Lanka, the United States pledged $54 million, including $40.4 million of USAID funding. Following the
2004 tsunami
, the United States provided $135 million in relief and reconstruction assistance.
[7]
In 2004, Prime Minister
Ranil Wickramasinghe
was invited to the
White House
by President
George W. Bush
.
[8]
In early 2005, U.S.
Secretary of State
Colin Powell
visited Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
.
[9]
In May 2015, U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry
visited Sri Lanka for an official tour. Kerry said that the U.S. would send advisers who would provide "technical assistance" to the newly elected government of
Maithripala Sirisena
.
[9]
[10]
In December 2015, U.S. Counsellor of the State Department
Thomas Shannon
visited Sri Lanka. The first U.S.?Sri Lanka partnership dialogue to improve Governance, Development Cooperation and People-to-People ties; Economic Cooperation; Security Cooperation and International and Regional Affairs was announced. The U.S. offered assistance to help Sri Lanka become an economic and strategic hub in the Indian Ocean region.
[11]
In February 2020, the U.S. State Department banned Sri Lanka's Army Chief
Shavendra Silva
from entering the United States for alleged human rights violations during the final phase of the
Sri Lankan Civil War
. The Sri Lankan government opposed the sanctions, saying: "The Government of Sri Lanka takes strong objection to the imposition of travel restrictions on Lt. Gen. Silva and his immediate family members by the Government of the United States, based on independently unverified information".
[12]
On 27 October 2020, U.S. Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo
visited Sri Lanka as part of a tour through several Asian countries, which also included
India
,
the Maldives
,
Indonesia
and
Vietnam
. He denounced the
Chinese Communist Party
as a "predator" and said that the U.S. instead came as a "friend" after meeting with Sri Lankan President
Gotabaya Rajapaksa
and Foreign Minister
Dinesh Gunawardena
.
[13]
[14]
Gunawardena stated: "Sri Lanka is a neutral, non-aligned country committed to peace, as I mentioned earlier. On that principles, we hope to continue with our relations with the United States and other countries."
[14]
Defence relations
[
edit
]
The
U.S. Armed Forces
maintain a limited military-to-military relationship with the
Sri Lanka defense establishment
.
[5]
United States and Sri Lanka started to enhance defence relations beyond the sale of military equipment, and training facilities were extended when Sri Lanka was in an internal battle with a secessionist movement Tamil Tigers.
During Ranil Wickremesinghe's time as Prime Minister in 2002, agreements were signed with the US which allowed Sri Lanka to get assistance in terms of military training, military technology, intelligence, special training in counter-terrorism, and direct monetary assistance for military development.
[15]
During the
ceasefire period
,
United States Pacific Command
assessment team conducted a study from 12 September 2002 to 24 October 2002, which made several recommendations to strengthen the capabilities of the
Sri Lanka Army
,
Sri Lanka Navy
and
Sri Lanka Air Force
in case of the peace process failing. After studying the weakness of the military, the study recommended the use of cluster bombs (which weren't banned until 2010 when Cluster Munitions Convention came into effect) to destroy unarmoured area targets and arming
Kfir
's and
Mi-24 gunships
with guided weapons in case of fighting close to enemy forces.
[16]
[17]
The US also donated the
SLNS Samudura
during this time.
[15]
Sri Lanka also supported the US by permitting the use of its airspace and airports for flights associated under the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) extraordinary rendition operations including the transportation of
Riduan Isamuddin
through Colombo.
[18]
It was reported that the
US Navy Pacific Command
provided intelligence to the Sri Lankan government during the
civil war
to hunt down
LTTE
crews and four ships. This was later confirmed by the former president
Mahinda Rajapaksa
whose government had poor relations with the United States.
[19]
[20]
[21]
[22]
Embassies
[
edit
]
Principal U.S. embassy officials include:
The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka is located in
Colombo
, as are the U.S. Agency for International Development offices and Public Affairs offices. IBB offices are located near
Chilaw
, 75 km north of Colombo.
[
citation needed
]
Sri Lankan Embassy
is located in Washington, D.C., and Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
[1]
BBC World Service
Archived
18 January 2007 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
U.S. Global Leadership Project Report - 2012
Gallup
- ^
SHERMAN, RICHARD MOREY (1990).
"American Contacts with Ceylon in the 19Th Century an Introduction to Their Impact"
.
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka
.
35
: 1?8.
ISSN
1391-720X
.
JSTOR
23731152
.
- ^
Jayawardana, Ruwini.
"Pioneering legend of Buddhist education in Sri Lanka"
.
Daily News
. Retrieved
23 September
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
"U.S. Relations With Sri Lanka"
. U.S. Department of State
. Retrieved
22 July
2015
.
- ^
"Humanitarian Assistance"
. USAID
. Retrieved
22 July
2015
.
- ^
Gamage, Daya.
"US Tsunami aid to Sri Lanka for 2005 tops $135 million"
. Asian Tribune
. Retrieved
22 July
2015
.
- ^
"Sri Lankan PM meets Bush amid political crisis"
.
YouTube
.
Associated Press
. 21 July 2015.
Archived
from the original on 21 December 2021
. Retrieved
26 April
2021
.
- ^
a
b
Colombo, Associated Press in (2 May 2015).
"John Kerry praises Sri Lanka on reforms and pledges renewed ties with US"
.
Associated Press
. Retrieved
28 January
2022
– via
The Guardian
.
- ^
Morello, Carol (2 May 2015).
"Kerry: U.S. will deepen ties with Sri Lanka"
.
The Washington Post
.
ISSN
0190-8286
. Retrieved
18 January
2022
.
- ^
Wroughton, Leslie; Aneez, Shihar (2 May 2015).
"Kerry visits Sri Lanka, pledges support for new government"
.
Reuters
.
Archived
from the original on 3 May 2015
. Retrieved
26 April
2020
.
- ^
"U.S. bans Sri Lankan army chief from entry, citing civil war abuses"
.
Reuters
. 14 February 2020
. Retrieved
26 April
2021
.
- ^
Singh, Namita (29 October 2020).
"China is a 'predator', Pompeo tells Sri Lanka"
.
The Independent
.
Archived
from the original on 24 May 2022
. Retrieved
26 April
2021
.
- ^
a
b
Rej, Abhijnan (29 October 2020).
"Mike Pompeo Visits Sri Lanka and the Maldives in a Bid to Win Friends and Influence People"
.
The Diplomat
. Retrieved
26 April
2021
.
- ^
a
b
"Silence Breaks : Part Three - Ranil's Presidential Dream Crumbled Down - Natarajah Kuruparan"
. Archived from
the original
on 19 August 2016
. Retrieved
14 July
2016
.
- ^
"Use of cluster ammo not banned during war"
.
- ^
"US asked SL to use cluster bombs against Tigers"
.
- ^
"SL supported CIA in torture program-report"
.
www.dailymirror.lk
. Retrieved
8 April
2021
.
- ^
"U.S. wants 'enhanced' military relations with Sri Lanka | Asian Tribune"
.
asiantribune.com
. Retrieved
25 November
2015
.
- ^
"India, US gave navy intelligence to fight the LTTE | Colombo Gazette"
. 4 December 2015
. Retrieved
4 December
2015
.
- ^
"US helped destroy some LTTE 'floating arsenals'-President"
.
- ^
"US Navy's Pacific Command behind destruction of LTTE"
.
- ^
"Ambassador | Embassy of the United States Sri Lanka and the Maldives"
. Archived from
the original
on 13 June 2011
. Retrieved
13 December
2010
.
This article incorporates
public domain material
from
U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets
.
United States Department of State
.
External links
[
edit
]
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