text: Crowley Philip J <CrowleyPJ@state.gov>RELEASE IN PARTB6Here is what we have come up with as agreed language from Bob Eric Mike Melanne Lissa and me. This can be usedfor the letter and for press guidance. Melanne will send a letter to the GOSL and perhaps the UN Permrep. We will askthe Post to release the letter to journalists in Colombo once it is received. I will schedule a press briefing at the ForeignPress Center early this week which will attract a good number of Asian journalists and make sure the question is askedso we can put it in proper context. We will have it for guidance in the Main State briefing if asked. PJBEGIN TEXTQuestions have been raised regarding remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on September 30 before the UnitedNations Security Council on the adoption of a resolution to combat sexual violence in armed conflict. In her statementshe said that we have seen rape used as a tactic before in a number of countries including Sri Lanka.Regarding the Secretary's reference to Sri Lanka in her address we want to be clear. Over the course of the difficultconflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) stretching into thisdecade the State Department as well as credible human rights organizations reported numerous cases of rape andsexual violence in Sri Lanka particularly acts committed against women held in detention by the government. This wasthe basis for the Secretary's statement. At the same time in the most recent phase of the conflict from 2006 to 2009though we remained deeply concerned about reports of extrajudicial killings disappearances and mistreatment ofdetainees we have not received reports that rape and sexual abuse were used as tools of war as they clearly have inother conflict areas around the world. We hope that this clarification puts the issue in its proper context.These questions should not detract from the specific actions that Sri Lanka needs to take now. With the end of themilitary conflict Secretary Clinton believes strongly that Sri Lanka must focus to the future and move forward on thepromotion of peace and the protection of human rights. The government of Sri Lanka should release more than 250000displaced persons who are still confined in camps and lead a process of genuine political and social reconciliation. TheUnited States stands ready to assist and support the people of Sri Lanka with these critical challenges.