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“The United States … has helped tremendously in the past year to rebuild Afghanistan… And I’m also here to ask you to do more for us in making the life of the Afghan peo-ple better, more stable, more peaceful. I’m here to thank you and the American people.”

– Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, meeting with President Bush, February 27, 2003

Countries in South Asia face myriad human rights and democracy challenges, however, there havebeen many recent improvements. In Afghanistan, the adoption of a constitution on January 4, 2004,represents a victory for the central government and a major step along the road toward democracy andstability. The constitution provides strong human rights protections, including equality for women andethnic groups, and the freedom to practice one’s religion. There have also been positive developmentsin the relationship between India and Pakistan, with India and Pakistan agreeing at the January 2004South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Summit to resume a composite dialogue addressingall issues. Continued rapprochement between India and Pakistan has the potential to improve humanrights in Jammu and Kashmir by curbing the activities of violent militants, spurring reform by theGovernment of India and improving the human rights performance of Indian security forces, as well ascreating a more stable, prosperous environment for political development in Pakistan.

There are, however, several common themes to the problems of the region. Sectarian tensions, home-grown and imported terrorist groups, extremism, pervasive corruption and ineffective legal systemspresent major obstacles to development, peace and stability in the region. Corruption in South Asia isrampant, perpetuating inefficiency and a lack of administration of justice, often heightening abuseagainst members of the community who are most vulnerable, such as women and minority religiousand ethnic groups.

Terrorism and the many insurgencies that plague the region both reflect and contribute to a poor humanrights climate. For example, the on-going Maoist insurgency in Nepal has led to a challenging humanrights environment. In combating an eight-year insurgency, there were reports of human rights abusesby the security forces and by Maoists, who committed worse abuses. In Sri Lanka, the December 2001cease-fire between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has led to animprovement in the human rights situation. However, the Government has been unable to resumenegotiations with the LTTE due to political infighting within the Government between the Presidentand Prime Minister and the President’s decision to call early elections in April.

Nonetheless, the unprecedented level of U.S. engagement with the countries of the region provides anopportunity and an obligation to press for greater democratic accountability and respect for individualrights.

The United States is addressing the broader challenges in South Asia through private and public diplo-macy efforts, conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts, and education and economic reform incountries with large Muslim populations. U.S. democracy programs combine legislative, judicial andlocal governance reform and projects to strengthen civil society and independent media at national andlocal levels to improve transparency, accountability and inclusiveness. Support for democratic “precur-sors” such as political party building and reform, promoting women’s and minority participation inpolitical processes and institutions, human rights education and training, and anti-trafficking and childlabor legislation and enforcement programs are also major areas of activity.

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SUPPORT FOR TORTURE VICTIMS IN NEPAL

Since the break of the cease-fire by Maoist insurgents in August 2003, the rate of violence and humanrights abuses in Nepal has escalated, including the use of torture as punishment or to extract confes-sions. The U.S. Agency for International Development is supporting a $2.5 million program to reha-bilitate torture survivors and their families in Nepal, working to address the impunity that allows tor-ture to continue. As part of the grant, a local non-governmental organization (NGO) trains medicaland legal professionals in torture-related issues, supports legal actions by torture victims and docu-ments human rights abuses. Stationary clinics provide comprehensive medical and psychological care,while mobile clinics reach torture survivors in remote areas. A shelter-based treatment center forfemale torture and trauma survivors has rehabilitated more than 100 women since it opened its doors inlate 2002. Twelve community workers from district NGOs have received intensive counseling train-ing, while ten district Psychosocial Support Units have been established to provide care and support tomore than 400 trauma and torture victims. Since mid-2002, 179 medical professionals have beentrained in managing torture cases, and more than 2,300 torture victims and their families have receivedcomprehensive medical and psychological care as well as legal counseling. Mobile treatment clinicshave conducted awareness programs for approximately 600 rural victims on legal rights and therapeu-tic recourses.

All clients receive free legal counseling, and get free legal representation if they wish to bring theircases before a court under Nepal’s Torture Compensation Act, which provides compensation for vic-tims of torture. Thirteen cases have been prosecuted to date, and 58 more are pending. The programtrains lawyers on aspects of the Torture Compensation Act, trains medical professionals to examine,diagnose and treat torture survivors without re-traumatizing them, and trains doctors to document casesof torture to a standard acceptable as evidence in a court of law. Fact-finding missions comprising adoctor, a lawyer and a journalist investigate credible reports of human rights abuses and circulatereports among human rights organizations.

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AFGHANISTAN

The Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan(TISA) made significant progress in establishinginstitutions of democracy and governance in2003, including the adoption and ratification of asound Constitution that guarantees equal rights forwomen and minorities and reaffirmsAfghanistan’s commitments to internationalhuman rights conventions. While TISA’s commit-ment to strengthening human rights and the ruleof law continued, problems, exacerbated by inade-quate resources and lack of institutional capacity,remained. There were instances where membersof the factional security forces committed extraju-dicial killings. The use of torture, prolonged pre-trial detention and poor prison conditions wereproblems. Security problems and a judicial sys-tem devastated by two decades of conflict alsocontributed to human rights violations. TISA hasreaffirmed its ongoing commitment to reforminggovernment institutions to ensure the protectionand promotion of human rights as embodied inthe new constitution.

Outside the capital, fighting between local militiasmaintained by rival commanders and the absenceof robust legal and security institutions threatened

stability and development. Taliban remnants androgue warlords threatened, robbed, attacked, andoccasionally killed local villagers, political oppo-nents, prisoners, police officers, internationalpeacekeepers and aid workers. While securityand employment challenges remain a concern formany refugees and internally displaced peopleoutside of Afghanistan, nearly three millionAfghan refugees have returned to Afghanistansince the fall of the Taliban as a sign of confi-dence in the ongoing stability process and hopefor a better future in their native land. Freedomof speech and press was limited, and violence(including cases of rape and kidnapping) as wellas societal discrimination against women, girlsand minorities were concerns. Since child laborand the trafficking of persons were ongoing prob-lems that undermined social stability, theGovernment did take some action against traffick-ers. The provisions in the new constitution markan historic opportunity for TISA and futureAfghan governments to address these and othersocial concerns with support from the internation-al community.

The U.S. human rights and democracy strategy inAfghanistan includes assisting the TISA to rebuildand reform national security institutions, reform

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the judicial system and implement the principlesof the Constitution. The United States supportsTISA as it evolves into a nation that respectshuman rights, possesses strong democratic institu-tions and an independent judiciary, and conductsfree and fair national elections under a newConstitution. The Embassy focused on strength-ening and expanding the reach of the centralGovernment to provide the basis for the rule oflaw, through training and capacity building of thenational police, judiciary and numerous govern-ment ministries. U.S. efforts also included initia-tives to promote independent media, humanrights, an active civil society, respect for the rightsof women and minorities, and anti-traffickingefforts. To encourage a stable, democratic andeconomically successful Afghanistan, the UnitedStates continually held high-level meetingsbetween the Secretary, Deputy Secretary andother top U.S. officials and key Afghan politicalleaders.

In November, the TISA released a draftConstitution that was rigorously debated at theConstitutional Loya Jirga (CLJ) in December andratified in January 2004. The new Constitutioncalls for the Government’s best efforts to holdpresidential and parliamentary elections in June2004. The Constitution guarantees freedom ofexpression, assembly and religion within the lim-its of the law, as well as equal rights for womenand minorities.

To support the creation of a popular constitutionthat respects individual and human rights, theUnited States invested $5 million through the UNDevelopment Program’s (UNDP) CLJ project,which included monitoring special category elec-tions, conducting provincial registration meetings,rehabilitation of CLJ site facilities, a public infor-mation campaign and some logistical support.The United States provided additional funding inexcess of $5.5 million for substantive and opera-tional support to the CLJ and to the preparationand process of the elections.

The United States established a comprehensiveprogram for the training of all Afghan police,including some women, by December 2005.Each training course used in this programincludes democratic policing, community-basedpolicing and knowledge of and protection ofhuman rights as well as women’s rights.Recruitment of the police has been on a non-dis-criminatory basis, and a special program toencourage gender equity has been instituted. TheUnited States has also committed to maintaininga civilian police model for the Afghan NationalPolice, removing military and paramilitary forcesfrom day-to-day policing. The United Statesbelieves the civilian police model encouragesprotection of human rights.

To foster and strengthen the rule of law, theUnited States offered technical assistance, finan-cial support, equipment and advice to the JudicialReform Commission for development and revital-ization of the judicial system. The United Statesprovided $1.4 million for physical rehabilitationof judicial system infrastructure and will providean additional $2.2 million in Fiscal Year 2004.This included support for the renovation of courtbuildings, including the Afghan Supreme Court inKabul. The United States also provided$600,000, mostly through UNDP, for technicalassistance and capacity building of the AfghanIndependent Human Rights Commission(AIHRC). Embassy officials work with theAIHRC, non-governmental organizations (NGOs)and Afghan officials to identify areas of particularconcern and encourage wider reforms within theGovernment. The AIHRC has been active indocumenting and investigating violations ofhuman rights and bringing them to theGovernment’s attention.

The United States funded a $1.2 million programin political party development and domestic elec-tion monitoring and also funded a countrywideprogram on civic education, particularly forwomen, to promote acceptance of and familiaritywith democratic norms and civic responsibility inAfghanistan. The U.S. Agency for International

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Development (USAID) is further adding $9.7million for additional domestic monitoring, civiceducation, political party work and assistance toAfghan electoral institutions.

U.S funding of approximately $46 million offerstechnical assistance to the national electoral body,including in the area of voter education, provid-ing assistance to political parties and civic lead-ers, training these groups in democratic electionmonitoring and conducting a civic education pro-gram. The United States also supports opera-tional, logistical and security planning for thevoter registration and election efforts.

During the year, the Embassy funded projects toencourage independent print and radio media.Grants totaling more than $2.2 million throughUSAID helped to establish independent commu-nity and commercial radio stations throughout thecountry that broadcast programs on a range oftopics including the constitutional process, elec-tions, democracy and human rights issues. Theseinclude women’s radio stations in Herat and inMazar-e-Sharif. Embassy officials investigatedand protested egregious abuses of press freedomwhere journalists were harassed or threatened andapproached the relevant government ministriesregarding these cases. The Embassy also provid-ed small grants to support two independent news-papers.

The Embassy worked with civil society organiza-tions to promote religious tolerance. In May2003, the Civil Development Foundation, a groupof reformist, predominantly Shi’a Afghans, beganpublishing a monthly magazine called“Democracy” which has a circulation of 3,000.One of the goals of the magazine is to challenge“religious despotism” and to promote a moderateinterpretation of Islam that is compatible withhuman rights. The publication of Hazara Shi’areformist intellectual Dai Foladi’s books “What isDemocracy?” and “Faith and Freedom” was alsosupported with embassy financing.

Embassy officials facilitated high-level interac-tion and discussion among prominent U.S.women leaders, including Under Secretary ofState for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky, andAfghan women leaders. To promote the rights ofwomen and improve their status in Afghan socie-ty, U.S. officials supported efforts during the CLJto enshrine specific language in the draftConstitution guaranteeing equal rights for menand women.

To improve women’s rights, the United Statesaddressed the specific needs of women in all ofits reconstruction programs and implementedmore than 175 projects to increase women’spolitical participation, role in civil society, eco-nomic opportunities and education. The UnitedStates supports the Ministry of Women’s Affairsnetwork of women’s resource centers in each ofAfghanistan’s 32 provinces that provide a safeplace for women to receive vocational training.The United States also funded a project to pro-mote women’s participation in the politicalprocess in central Afghanistan, offering work-shops and discussion groups to rural women and

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support to potential female CLJ and parliamentarycandidates. USAID gave two separate $100,000grants to support literacy courses for women andgirls as well as teacher training in four westernAfghan provinces.

The United States continues to harness privatesector support for Afghan women through theU.S.-Afghan Women’s Council. Projects com-pleted or under way include journalism training,teacher training, entrepreneurship, legal trainingand micro-credit programs. The United States hasalso committed $5 million to the “RuralExpansion of Afghanistan’s Community-basedHealthcare Program” which supports literacy pro-grams and the training of birth attendants.

Afghan police made multiple arrests of allegedtraffickers and rescued trafficked children duringthe year. An inter-ministerial committee was alsoestablished to combat child trafficking, and beganwork on a national action plan. Police and othergovernment officials participated in sensitizationand training workshops on human trafficking. Tocombat trafficking in persons (TIP), the UnitedStates provided $190,000 to the InternationalOrganization for Migration (IOM) to conduct acomprehensive assessment of the TIP situation inAfghanistan. Based on the results of this report,the United States provided an additional $330,000to IOM to build government capacity to combattrafficking, encourage inter-ministerial collabora-tion and forge cooperation among NGOs, interna-tional organizations and foreign governmentswithin the region.

BANGLADESH

The head of Bangladesh’s parliamentary democra-cy, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, won her positionin elections that were generally peaceful and freein most places, although sporadic violence stilloccurred. The Government’s human rights recordremained poor, as numerous human rights abusescontinued to occur, including extrajudicial killingsand torture by security forces. Prison conditionsremained extremely harsh and life threatening and

contributed to some deaths. Police corruptioncontinued to be a problem, and a climate ofimpunity was an obstacle to ending the abusesand killings. Violence was a pervasive elementin the country’s politics. Fair and expeditious tri-als were problematic due to lengthy pretrialdetention, corruption and a large judicial casebacklog. Freedom of speech, movement andassembly was restricted, and opposition politicalparties continued to boycott Parliament, claiminga lack of opportunity to engage substantively onlegislative and national issues. Child labor andabuse of child workers remained widespread andwere serious problems. Trafficking in womenand children for the purpose of prostitution andforced labor were also concerns, as was violenceagainst women and discrimination against indige-nous people and religious minorities.

The U.S. human rights and democracy strategy inBangladesh strengthens democratic institutions,transparency and accountability to citizens, andrespect for the rule of law and human rights. Todo this, the United States seeks to reform politicalparties, increase informed citizen political partici-pation, strengthen local government, improvepolice and military professionalism, reduce courtsystem backlogs, encourage better governance,reduce corruption, promote religious toleranceand address trafficking, as well as improvewomen, children and worker rights.

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U.S. officials publicly highlight the need forimprovements in human rights conditions byusing the State Department’s annual CountryReport on Human Rights Practices as a key toolfor moving the dialogue on human rights for-ward. The Country Report is widely publicizedin Bangladesh and closely scrutinized by theGovernment, opposition, press and non-govern-mental organizations (NGOs) both in Bangladeshand abroad.

The Ambassador and other U.S. officials workpublicly and privately to engage the Government,the opposition and diverse elements of civil soci-ety on the importance of democratic institutions,including the parliament, the rule of law andrespect for human rights, and have condemnedviolence in the form of strikes and personalassaults as an instrument of political coercion.On Human Rights Day in December, the DeputyChief of Mission hosted a human rights receptionto signal the importance the United States placeson human security. Attendees included localhuman rights activists, victims of human rightsabuses, Bangladeshi officials and members of thediplomatic community. In conjunction with thisevent, the Ambassador wrote an op-ed pieceprinted in several newspapers on the importanceof religious tolerance, freedom of speech andequal access to justice.

Because many of the human rights abuses cen-tered on issues of governance and corruption, theEmbassy focused its democracy promotionefforts in the sector of political reform andimproving local governance. For example, theU.S. Agency for International Development(USAID) is funding projects totaling $12 millionto strengthen parliamentary committees, reformpolitical parties, and assist elected local govern-ments to play a more active role in society. TheUnited States also continues to support localhuman rights groups through a four-year, $7.4million program that provides critical servicessuch as monitoring police stations and providingshelter to abused women through sub-grants, aswell as training and technical assistance to human

rights NGOs. Its initiatives to combat the endem-ic problem of corruption and train Bangladeshijournalists in investigative journalism continue toevolve.

In order to address judicial reform, the UnitedStates has helped to establish a program of alter-native dispute resolution which holds promise ofmodestly contributing to clearing the court sys-tem of its million-case backlog and enhancingaccess to justice for all citizens. The Embassyalso makes effective use of the InternationalVisitor program to advance the goal of respect forrule of law and sponsor expert speakers on topicslike press freedom.

Since the police have perpetrated many of thehuman rights abuses, the Embassy has begun tofocus not only on enhancing their professionalskills, but improving their commitment to humanrights and the rule of law. The Regional SecurityOffice and Office of Defense Cooperation arealso heavily involved in promoting human rightsthrough the programs they sponsor to improve theprofessionalism of Bangladesh’s security and mil-itary forces. Anti-Terrorist Assistance,International Military Education and Training,and Counter-Terrorism money has been used forthis purpose. We are also beginning to use theDepartment of Justice’s International CriminalInvestigative Training Assistance Program to helpimprove police professionalism. The Office ofDefense Cooperation funds and encouragesBangladesh to continue and increase its supportto UN peacekeeping operations, which teach theBangladeshi military international standards as itis called upon to enforce UN human rights effortsin its peacekeeping missions.

The Islamic Foundation, a Government ofBangladesh agency, provides religious training toapproximately 45,000 imams nationwide.USAID provided orientation to 200 imams fromthe Islamic Foundation about U.S. programs inhuman rights, women’s rights, health care,HIV/AIDS, agriculture, economic growth,democracy and governance. These imams also


visited several U.S.-sponsored project sites in aneffort to promote dialogue and work with theGovernment of Bangladesh to show them anaspect of U.S. foreign policy not typically fea-tured in the local media.

Improving conditions for Bangladeshi workershas been a consistent aspect of the U.S. overallhuman rights strategy. Working with theGovernment, the American Center forInternational Labor Solidarity, the InternationalLabor Organization, and local labor and industrygroups, the United States has had many achieve-ments, including the virtual elimination of childlabor from the export-oriented ready-made gar-ment industry through a $1.5 million project. TheU.S. Labor Department and USAID also fundprograms to eliminate the worst forms of childlabor, to support working women’s education cen-ters, empower rural women in the informal sectorand provide opportunities for persons with dis-abilities. The International Program on theElimination of Child Labor activities include a $6million project to eliminate the worst forms ofchild labor in five targeted industries – beedi pro-duction (the hand-rolled cigarette industry),match-making, tanneries, construction and childdomestic workers. As of December 2003, 19,874children had been removed from hazardous work,and approximately 30,000 children have beenplaced in either non-formal or formal education orpre-vocational training. Finally, Bangladesh hascommitted to allowing full freedom of associationin the export processing zones, and EmbassyDhaka continues to press the Government tomake good on this promise.

USAID leads a thematic working group on anti-trafficking with the Government, civil society andother donor representatives that has developed theconceptual framework for the sector and launcheda media communications package used by theGovernment and NGOs working in the field. Theresults are clear: Public awareness and condem-nation of trafficking are going up, as are arrestsand convictions of traffickers. Through a seriesof anti-trafficking film festivals, the United States

is working to strengthen awareness of the issueregionally as well as in Dhaka. USAID alsobegan an innovative program with an imams’association in Chittagong, under which imams inthe border areas receive training in anti-traffick-ing. Approximately 500 of these imams trainother imams and engage their communities indiscussions of this crime. Several of the imamswho received this training have written letters tonewspapers as well as conducted meetings fol-lowing Friday prayers to initiate communitystrategies to combat trafficking.

BHUTAN

Although Bhutan is ruled by a hereditary monar-chy, in recent years, the Government adoptedsome measures to increase the power of theNational Assembly. Civil liberties are severelylimited as the Government restricts freedom ofspeech, press, assembly and association, and theformation of non-governmental organizations(NGOs). The Government also prohibits the for-mation of human rights organizations and politi-cal parties. Freedom of religion is restricted.Although there is no written constitution to pro-

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tect fundamental political and human rights, theGovernment is currently soliciting commentsfrom international legal experts on the seconddraft of a proposed constitution. In 2003, theNational Assembly vigorously debated a broadervariety of topics that included the national budg-et, the addition of new ministries and the govern-ment’s policy on refugee return. In early 2003,local village leaders elected representatives to theNational Assembly for those positions notappointed by the Government. The U.S.Embassy in New Delhi is responsible for issuesinvolving Bhutan.

The U.S. human rights and democracy strategyfor Bhutan has focused largely on the issue ofBhutanese refugees of ethnic Nepali descent wholeft Bhutan for Nepal in 1991-1992. U.S. effortshave been limited by the absence of diplomaticrelations with Bhutan and an official mission inThimphu. However, the Embassy significantlyincreased its interaction with the Governmentduring 2003 by encouraging human rightsimprovements in Bhutan and the development ofdemocratic institutions. Embassy officersengaged the Government and other interestedparties, including donor countries, the UnitedNations and NGOs, regarding the plight ofapproximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees inNepal. Through active discussions withBhutanese government officials, the Embassy hasencouraged progress on this issue and suggestedways to resolve the situation, some of which havebeen implemented.

The Ambassador traveled to Bhutan in 2003 andaddressed human rights concerns in meetingswith the King, Prime Minister, Foreign Ministerand other high-ranking officials. An embassyofficer visited Thimphu in October 2003 and dis-cussed human rights, constitutional and politicalreform and domestic concerns such as health,labor, unemployment and education withBhutanese officials, offering suggestions whereappropriate. In January 2004, a delegation fromWashington traveled to Thimphu and discussed

the status of preparations for the repatriation ofBhutanese refugees to Bhutan. The Embassymaintained regular contact with the InternationalCommittee of the Red Cross, encouraging its fur-ther interaction with the Government. TheEmbassy continues interaction with NGOs andhuman rights activists concerned with Bhutan. Inaddition, the Embassy worked with the BhutaneseRoyal Civil Service Commission to sponsor sixBhutanese government officials to participate inan International Visitor program in 2003 on goodgovernance, conflict management and prevention,religious freedom and protection of human rights.The Embassy also sent one Bhutanese national tothe United States via the Fulbright ScholarshipProgram.

INDIA

India has a vibrant democracy and a strong con-stitutional framework designed to prohibit abusesand punish them when they occur; however, thereis often weak enforcement of laws and a lag inthe administration of justice. The Governmentgenerally respected the human rights of its citi-zens; however, numerous serious problemsremained, including extrajudicial killings, custo-dial deaths throughout the country and heavy-handed and occasional excessive use of force bysecurity forces, as well as arbitrary arrest and dis-appearances while combating insurgencies inJammu and Kashmir and several northeasternstates. Other human rights issues includedreported incidents of torture and rape by policeand other government agents, poor prison condi-tions, detention throughout the country of thosearrested under security-related laws such as thePrevention of Terrorism Act, prolonged detentionwhile undergoing trial and witness intimidation,particularly in Gujarat. Societal violence and dis-crimination against women, trafficking of womenand children for forced prostitution and labor,female feticide and female infanticide remainedconcerns. Widespread exploitation of workers,including indentured and bonded servants andchild laborers continued, as did religiously moti-vated violence against Christians and Muslims.


U.S. human rights and democracy initiatives inIndia promote good governance and the rights ofgroups in society vulnerable to abuses such asreligious minorities, refugees and workers, andfocus on improving the rights of women and chil-dren who are victims of trafficking. U.S. engage-ment includes diplomatic interaction, sharing ofinformation, public diplomacy and funding ofprojects to encourage respect for democracy andhuman rights.

To address concerns within the judicial system,the Embassy worked with a U.S.-based non-gov-ernmental organization (NGO) and the HighCourts in Gujarat and New Delhi to impart legaltraining to practicing lawyers, judges and publicprosecutors on Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR). ADR has been operational since 2003 inGujarat, enabling more expeditious resolution ofcases involving human rights violations such asexcessive force by local police and infringementof due process and other civil rights.

The United States supported a wide range of ini-tiatives to encourage religious tolerance and free-dom. The Embassy offered small grants to NGOsaddressing grassroots democracy issues in orderto alleviate communal tension. An NGO inCalcutta provided education and rehabilitation to300 impoverished and marginalized Muslimyouths from a squatter settlement in the city.Another NGO used a grant to present a three-partseries of workshops in Jammu and Kashmir,strengthening the skills of locally elected repre-sentatives. Still another NGO used its grant for amultiple month project to increase awareness ofhuman rights in select lower and middle classcommunities and slums of Lucknow. TheEmbassy also launched Urdu and Hindi editionsof its SPAN magazine, exploring issues such asglobalization, conflict resolution, human rights,academic freedom and inclusiveness towardwomen and minorities. The Embassy alsostrengthened the curriculum and leadership at apredominantly Muslim university through theInternational Visitor program. The program’s fiveparticipants were given professional training and

met with faculty and administrators in Americanpublic and private universities. The “Seeds ofPeace” program enabled 24 teenagers fromMumbai and Lahore, Pakistan to attend a three-week conflict resolution course in a neutral, sup-portive environment at a U.S.-based summercamp. During Ramadan, the Chargé d’Affairesand other embassy officers hosted several Iftaardinners to promote better relations with theMuslim community. On Christmas Day, theChargé addressed an interfaith celebration of theholiday sponsored by the Indian Islamic Center.The Chargé also gave a televised speech to 500students at Lucknow University on the impor-tance of tolerance and diversity and authored aseparate editorial on the same subject thatappeared in “Quami Awaz,” a mass circulationUrdu daily.

The United States supports the UN HighCommission for Refugees (UNHCR), whosemandate is to provide protection and assistance torefugees. India has the largest urban refugeepopulation in the region, including someBurmese. In order to promote the rights ofrefugees, Consulate officials in Chennai interact-ed with government officials to encourage theproper treatment and repatriation of Sri Lankanrefugees.

The United States provided funding to supportexpanded roles for women. The U.S. Agency forInternational Development (USAID) initiated a$17.2 million, 5-year program to strengthen theprotection of women’s legal rights, includingdowry, divorce and property rights. This programalso helped establish 11 counseling/legal aid cen-ters for women in police stations. In September2003, USAID also launched its South AsiaRegional Initiative on Equity for Women andChildren to promote women and children’s legalrights and provide counseling to victims of gen-der-based violence.

The Embassy assisted the U.S. Labor Departmentin launching a joint U.S.-India child labor projectto be implemented through the International

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Labor Organization, which also addresses theissue of trafficked child laborers. Each govern-ment is contributing $20 million to bring childrenin ten sectors (including the production of brass-ware, glass bangles, stone and footwear), out ofthe workplace and into school. Also in the areaof promoting worker rights, the LaborDepartment is funding two projects implementedby the International Labor Organization in 2001-2004: $1,213,117 for HIV/AIDS workplace edu-cation and $1,300,000 for women’s employment,as well as a $1,300,000 project on mine safety.In 2003, USAID concluded its child labor pro-gram funded through the UN DevelopmentProgram. This program supported urban pro-grams in Calcutta, Andhra Pradesh andMaharashtra that identified child laborers andplaced them in educational programs to preparethem for entry into government schools.

During the year, the Embassy worked with Indianofficials and international organizations on policyissues that address the problem of trafficking inpersons (TIP). U.S.-funded workshops in NewDelhi, Chennai and Calcutta brought together thebusiness community with anti-trafficking NGOsto sensitize the corporate community to the traf-ficking problem and provide NGOs with anopportunity to utilize corporate resources. TheChargé addressed the Delhi workshop, stressingthe importance of a corporate response to theproblems of trafficking in children.

Consulate officials in Chennai and Calcutta spon-sored anti-trafficking workshops and seminars fornational and state level officials on the plight oftrafficked women in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradeshand the Northeastern states. The Embassy alsosponsored a week-long training session on“Children as Victims, Witnesses andPerpetrators,” for 40 senior-level Indian policeofficers who included both Indian experts andU.S. law enforcement experts from the U.S.Department of Justice and the Embassy on traf-ficking, cyber pornography, prosecution andinvestigation. U.S. officials, including theAmbassador, engaged senior state government

officials to press for more government action tocombat TIP. The Ambassador also authored anarticle entitled “Fighting Trafficking in Persons”that was published in India’s largest Hindi lan-guage daily. In addition, U.S. officials traveledextensively throughout India to meet with stateand central government officials, law enforce-ment officers, and NGO leaders to discuss U.S.anti-trafficking policy and develop anti-traffick-ing programs.

U.S. efforts to combat trafficking also includedsupport of a five-year South Asia-wide $3.3 mil-lion anti-trafficking program. Implemented bythe UN Development Fund for Women(UNIFEM), the program focuses on preventionthrough media outreach, sharing of best practicesand capacity building. The United States sup-ported the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) in conducting an 11-state study of traf-ficking trends, establishing monitoring officers in26 of India’s 29 states. The United States andUNIFEM organized a national workshop for theNHRC’s 26 regional monitoring officers toincrease awareness of and political engagementagainst trafficking in persons. The United Statesalso provided grants to an Indian NGO to estab-lish a nation-wide anti-trafficking network,encouraging cooperation between local NGOsand government agencies. The Embassy fundeda local NGO that trained community leaders fromRajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi inmethods to identify trafficking, gather evidenceand assist victims. In addition, the United Statesprovided $644,631 for NGO anti-trafficking proj-ects to be administered through the UN Office onDrugs and Crime and USAID.

NEPAL

Weakened by an eight-year Maoist insurgency,Nepal faces significant challenges in institutional-izing and enforcing respect for human rights andin strengthening its fledgling democratic institu-tions. The Government’s human rights recordremained poor, as there were numerous human

rights abuses by members of the security forces,including abuse and disappearance of detainees,the use of torture as punishment or to extract con-fessions, and arbitrary and unwarranted lethalforce. The Maoist insurgents also committed seri-ous human rights abuses and continued their cam-paign against civilians as well as security forces,frequently committing torture, killings, bombingsand forcibly conscripting children. Violenceagainst women, trafficking in women and childrenfor prostitution, and child labor were also humanrights concerns.

After the Maoists unilaterally broke off the cease-fire on August 27, 2003, full-scale hostilitiesresumed, and the rate of violence and humanrights abuses committed by both sides rapidlyescalated. The insurgency has severely under-mined the Government’s capacity to deliver basicservices, provide security and ensure the rule of


law, and demonstrate to its population the bene-fits of democracy, including free and fair elec-tions. The Government’s ability to respondappropriately and effectively to human rights vio-lations is hampered by institutional weaknesses,creating an environment of impunity. The mili-tary made limited progress in investigating andprosecuting alleged violations, and considerableroom for improvement exists.

The lack of representative government at both thenational and local levels is a matter of seriousconcern, and the increasing polarization betweenthe political parties and the Government hasstalled progress toward strengthening democracy.Parliamentary elections, postponed fromNovember 2002 because of the deterioratingsecurity situation, remain on indefinite hold,while polls to replace local representatives,whose terms expired in July 2002, have yet to bescheduled. The Government has publicly indicat-ed that it intends to hold elections in late 2004.At the same time, corruption, incessant politicalin-fighting, an ineffective bureaucracy and anunresponsive judicial system have weakened pub-lic confidence in Nepal’s 13-year-old experimentwith democracy.

The U.S. human rights and democracy strategyengages the Government, the security forces,political activists and civil society to assist inbuilding institutional capacity to ensure that prin-ciples of democracy and human rights are trans-lated into practice. Areas of engagement includethe Law of Armed Conflict, rehabilitation of tor-ture victims, electoral and political reform, civiceducation, conflict management and mitigation,the rule of law, women’s political participation,and combating child labor and trafficking in per-sons.

The United States maintains regular dialoguewith the Government, security forces, politicalleaders and members of civil society on theimportance of preserving respect for the humanrights of all parties to the conflict. Over the pastyear, the Embassy’s repeated demarches on thisU

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subject have met with somewhat greater respon-siveness and transparency from senior membersof the security forces, although much progressremains to be made. The July 2002 formation ofa human rights cell in the Royal Nepal Army(RNA) was followed by the establishment of sim-ilar cells in the national police and paramilitaryArmed Police Force. The Embassy and otherU.S. officials, such as Assistant Secretary forSouth Asian Affairs Christina Rocca, haveencouraged the Government and senior officialsin the security forces to engage in dialogue withrepresentatives of human rights groups, and haveadvocated greater transparency in military andpolice investigations of alleged abuses. An edito-rial by the Ambassador on the occasion ofHuman Rights Week (December 10-15), empha-sizing the importance of upholding internationalhuman rights standards, was prominently featuredin the local English-language press.

The United States, both publicly and privately,has continued to urge a reconciliation betweenthe Government and protesting political parties asthe best way to restore representative democracy.The United States presses both sides to resumedialogue with one another to identify an expedi-tious resolution to a protracted stalemate. Toupgrade the capacity and professionalism of thepolitical parties, the United States is implement-ing party-development activities. During theyear, the United States obligated $100,000 forcivic education programs, including activitiesranging from voter education to curriculum cre-ation and book translations. In late 2003, follow-ing a three-year, $600,000 voter education pro-gram, the United States completed an electoralreform and elections assessment as the first stepin a program intended to strengthen governmentelection planning capacity.

The United States funded senior officials fromNepal’s judiciary and anti-corruption agency, andsupported members of civil society, to attendregional conferences on corruption. The UnitedStates also funded the travel of two members of

the official delegation who signed the UNConvention against Corruption. In addition, invi-tational travel funding was provided for seniormembers of the judiciary to attend judicial reformconferences in the United States and meet withU.S. officials. The United States provided$599,000 for non-governmental organization(NGO) efforts to strengthen community-basedalternative dispute resolution in 11 conflict-affected districts. Since late 2002, more than 60master trainers and 1,330 community level medi-ators have been trained to help resolve minor dis-putes.

During the year, the United States sponsored amilitary law exchange program focused on suchhuman rights issues as the Law of ArmedConflict, military justice and discipline, andRules of Engagement training for the RNA’sJudge Advocate General, as well as two trainingprograms focused on civil affairs. The UnitedStates signed an agreement with the Government

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to begin a $250,000 police professionalizationprogram, aimed at improving police capacity tomanage civil disorder. To strengthen independentnon-partisan human rights groups, the UnitedStates is providing $117,000 in technical assis-tance to the National Human Rights Commissionto employ the MARTUS System, a software toolto record and store information on human rightscases. An additional $90,000 in assistance to theNational Human Rights Commission will be pro-vided to help research and analyze draft anti-ter-ror legislation and ensure the right to a fair trial.

The United States is funding a two-year, $600,000program to rehabilitate victims of torture and pro-vide comprehensive medical and psychologicalcare to torture survivors and their families. Alocal NGO trains medical and legal professionalsin torture-related issues, supports legal actions bytorture victims and documents human rights abus-es. Since mid-2002, 179 medical professionalshave been trained in managing torture cases, andmore than 2,300 torture victims and their familieshave received comprehensive medical and psy-chological care as well as legal counseling.Twelve community workers from district NGOshave received intensive counseling training, whileten district Psychosocial Support Units have beenestablished to provide care and support to morethan 400 trauma and torture victims. More than100 female torture victims have received compre-hensive rehabilitation services. Mobile treatmentclinics have conducted awareness programs forapproximately 600 rural victims on legal rightsand therapeutic recourses. In December 2003 theU.S. Department of Justice organized a workshopfor 35 public prosecutors on ways to reduceworkloads, increase coordination with lawenforcement agencies and improve treatment ofvictims of crime.

In 2003, the United States provided assistance toapproximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees inNepal through contributions to UN HighCommission for Refugees (UNHCR) and theWorld Food Program. Embassy officers engagedthe Government of Nepal and other interested

parties, including donor countries, the UnitedNations and NGOs, to promote durable solutionsfor the Bhutanese population. Although theGovernment processed more than 3,000 Tibetanasylum seekers for onward travel to India during2003, occasional incidents of refoulement contin-ued to occur. The United States strenuouslyprotested the Government’s May 2003 refoule-ment of 18 Tibetan asylum seekers. Followingthat incident, the Government articulated for thefirst time an official policy of non-refoulement.However, there was another report from theUNHCR that 15 Tibetans were deported in early2004.

In order to promote women’s development initia-tives, the United States supported a number ofwomen’s empowerment programs through smallgrants, many of which trained women to becomefinancially independent. In addition, the UnitedStates continues to provide approximately $2 mil-lion to expand the political roles of women.Since late 2001, women’s coalitions haveengaged in advocacy campaigns on a wide vari-ety of issues, including women’s participation inlocally elected positions, leadership training,reservation of 25 percent of local budgets forwomen’s development and combating the dowrysystem.

In 2001, the United States began a $5 millionthree-year “time-bound” program to eliminate theworst forms of child labor. The U.S. LaborDepartment provided $1.6 million for a 2000-2003 project combating bonded labor under its“Promoting the Basic Rights of Workers” project.The Labor Department is also funding a four-yearInternational HIV/AIDS Workplace Educationproject for $440,000.

Since 2001, the United States has supported a$1.6 million, four-year program to combat humantrafficking. The program includes economicalternative programs for vulnerable groups, edu-cation programs and rights-based training forgovernment anti-trafficking task force members,including parliamentarians, community leaders

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and transport workers. The program alsoaddresses ways in which to improve anti-traffick-ing laws, offers psychological counseling servicesfor victims, provides for the development anddissemination of information and educationalmaterials, strengthening of national and regionalnetworks and cross-border activities, and supportfor relevant research. Achievements include apolicy to protect the rights of migrant workers,increased convictions for traffickers, increasedinterception of potential victims at the communi-ty level and the successful rescue and repatriationof 152 Nepali girls and women from Indianbrothels and circuses. The United States is alsoassisting the Daywalka Foundation to establish alaw library focused on anti-trafficking resources.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan is a federal republic, although the mili-tary retains a major role. In October 1999,General Pervez Musharraf overthrew the electedgovernment of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; theSupreme Court later sanctioned the coup anddirected Musharraf to restore elected government

within three years. Musharraf assumed the presi-dency by decree in 2001 while continuing asChief of Army Staff, and held a nationwide refer-endum in April 2002 that extended his presidencyfor five years. Four months after the referendum,President Musharraf announced a controversialpackage of constitutional amendments, the LegalFramework Order (LFO), which amended thesuspended Constitution to allow the President todismiss the Prime Minister and dissolve theParliament, the creation of a National SecurityCouncil as a constitutional body and the insertionof a number of qualification requirements forcandidates for Parliament. Several of the amend-ments had the effect of transferring substantialexecutive power from the prime minister to thepreviously symbolic presidency. Oppositionpoliticians, lawyers, civil society groups andmany in the international community expressedconcern about the amendment package and itsconstitutional legitimacy.

Elections were held for local governments in2001 and for the National Assembly in October2002. Domestic and international observers criti-cized the elections as deeply flawed. In February

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2003, Senate elections were held. After severalmonths of negotiations, in December 2003, theGovernment and the MMA, Pakistan’s maincoalition of Islamic parties, voted in the nationaland provincial assemblies to incorporate a largepart of the LFO into the 1973 Constitution as its17th Amendment. The amendment affirmedMusharraf’s presidency until 2007 and his right toserve concurrently as Chief of Army Staff untilthe end of 2004. The amendment allows thePresident to dissolve Parliament but requires himto obtain the consent of the Supreme Court within30 days. Opposition parties contend that theamended Constitution legitimizes the powerfulrole of the military in politics, and leaves a greatdeal of power in the hands of the President.

The Government’s human rights record remainedpoor; although there were some improvements ina few areas, serious problems remained. Somemembers of the security forces committed serioushuman rights abuses. Prison conditions remainedextremely poor , and police arbitrarily arrestedand detained citizens. The overall credibility ofthe judiciary remained low. The press was able topublish relatively freely; however, journalistspracticed self-censorship, especially on sensitivemilitary issues. There were reports of centralgovernment intimidation against journalists, and

provincial and local governments occasionallyarrested journalists and closed newspapers. TheGovernment imposed some limits on freedom ofassociation, religion and movement.Governmental and societal discrimination againstreligious minorities, particularly Christians andAhmadis, remained a problem. Domestic vio-lence against women, rape and abuse of childrenremained serious problems. Top levels of theGovernment publicly criticized the practice of“honor killings,” but such killings continued, andtraditional social and legal constraints continuedto keep women in a subordinate position in socie-ty. Trafficking for the purposes of prostitutionand bonded labor remained a serious problem.The Government and employers continued torestrict worker rights significantly. Debt slaverypersisted, and bonded labor by both adults andchildren remained a problem. The use of childlabor remained widespread.

The United States supports President Musharraf’svision of a moderate Islamic democracy, includ-ing the Government’s ongoing efforts to improvehuman rights through public debate, legislativeproposals and other initiatives. President Bushbelieves that democracy is essential to achievingPresident Musharraf’s vision of a modern, toler-ant and prosperous Pakistan, and publicly noted

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that the United States was providing $31 millionfor civil society initiatives in Pakistan, aimed atbroadening political participation and expandingeducation opportunities, especially for womenand girls. The United States continues to urgethe Government to strengthen the judiciary and toprepare for free and fair multiparty elections in2007 that meet international standards.

The United States also raises ongoing concernsabout human rights abuses. Throughout the year,Assistant Secretary of State for South AsianAffairs Christina B. Rocca, U.S. Ambassador toPakistan Nancy Powell and other senior U.S. offi-cials raised human rights issues in general, aswell as specific cases involving journalists, oppo-sition politicians and religious freedom activists,directly with the Government of Pakistan. Forexample, the United States consistently urged thatarrested opposition figure, Javed Hashmi, betreated in a fair and transparent manner, with dueregard for fundamental rights, including those ofspeedy public trial, access to counsel and familyvisitation. The Ambassador and Deputy Chief ofMission repeatedly expressed concerns about thiscase in conversations with the Government.The U.S. Ambassador repeatedly underscored theimportance of a return to democratic civilian ruleand respect for human rights with PresidentMusharraf and other senior government officials.The Ambassador also underscored the importanceof these issues to the public, including in herspeech to the Karachi Council on ForeignRelations in November 2003, when she said,“Pakistan’s commitment to the further advance-ment of democracy and human rights is central toits efforts to build a stable, positive future for itspeople.” In her speech, the Ambassador alsovoiced the need for strong Pakistani democraticinstitutions and practices, including a NationalAssembly that plays a vigorous and positive rolein governance, an independent judiciary that pro-motes the rule of law and for the case of JavedHashmi.

To promote democracy and human rights, theU.S. Embassy and Consulates worked with the

Government and local and international non-gov-ernmental organizations (NGOs) to strengthenexisting institutions, train civil society and gov-ernment leaders, promote the rule of law andraise awareness on key human rights and democ-racy issues.

In August 2003, the U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID) and the Government ofPakistan signed a three-year, $38 million grant tosupport the package of “good governance” initia-tives the Government of Pakistan announced in2001. As of March 1, 2004, obligations included$8 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 and $11 mil-lion in FY 2004. USAID’s program promotesbetter governance by strengthening national andprovincial legislatures, district governments, civilsociety organizations and the media. USAID isalso increasing the effectiveness of new NGOsand is providing small grants to encourage dis-trict governments, local communities, and the pri-vate sector to develop and manage small grants.

The USAID grant will encourage private-sectorparticipation to improve social services.USAID’s program will also strengthen civil soci-ety’s voice in the process of making developmentdecisions, help to build a more open, diverse andsocially responsible broadcast media, andincrease governmental accountability and trans-parency. The legislative strengthening program,which includes work with parliamentarians, leg-islative secretariats and relevant media, began inearly 2004. The Bureau of Democracy, HumanRights and Labor also provided $50,000 to sup-port a judicial improvement project.

In 2003, USAID launched a $1 million programto strengthen Pakistan’s broadcast media throughtraining the media, particularly radio journalists,in how to be effective advocates. In addition,USAID is providing equipment and technicalassistance to Peshawar University and the UksFoundation. Along with a nationwide trainingprogram for radio journalists, Internews,USAID’s implementing partner, is assisting edi-


tors and managers with program content anddeveloping other skills and communicationsstrategies to create a stronger, more open environ-ment for the media in Pakistan. Part of theUSAID media program will fund the developmentof radio programs geared toward women’s issues.

USAID is providing a small grant, in coordinationwith a similar grant from the Swiss Government,to Transparency International (TI)/Pakistan, whichfocuses on anti-corruption programs, to allow theorganization to open an office in Pakistan.USAID and the Ambassador spoke at a TIConference in Islamabad, stressing the importanceof rule of law and transparency in governance asa means to encourage new foreign investment.USAID has developed a website for all of its pro-grams that will provide transparency on U.S. part-ners and their activities.

The United States provided $1 million to supportan International Military and Education Trainingprogram for the Pakistani security forces. Theprogram increases awareness of internationalnorms of human rights and fosters greater respectfor the principle of civilian control of the militaryand the rule of law. In compliance with the

Leahy amendment, the Defense Attaché’s Officeworked closely with the Ministry of Defense tovet military units for U.S. training and checkedcandidates with other embassy offices. TheUnited States also promoted effective and profes-sional law enforcement, goals key to promotinghuman rights in Pakistan, by providing $561,000to train 622 law enforcement professionals in2003.

Furthering the U.S. policy of encouraging reli-gious freedom, the Embassy pushed for aggres-sive investigations and prosecutions of those whoperpetrated violence against religious minorities.The Embassy stayed in regular contact with rep-resentatives from the largest religious minoritiesto monitor their treatment and raised specificcases of concern involving religious rightsactivists with the Government of Pakistan, aswell as monitored cases against members of reli-gious minorities prosecuted under Pakistan’sblasphemy laws. The Public Affairs Section ofthe Embassy also sent religious leaders to theUnited States to take part in International Visitorprograms that highlighted religious diversity andtolerance.

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In support of U.S. policy to combat traffickingworldwide, the United States is funding the first-ever baseline study to determine the scale andscope of the trafficking problem in Pakistan. Thestudy will enable the United States as well asNGOs to better design future programs to reducetrafficking in persons in Pakistan. Embassy rep-resentatives attended and spoke at several traf-ficking conferences held in Pakistan. Seniorembassy staff have raised concerns about the traf-ficking issue with Pakistani officials, in particularthe head of the Federal Investigative Agency,charged with implementing Pakistan’s anti-traf-ficking laws, on numerous occasions. TheAmbassador has discussed the issue on severaloccasions with the Minister of Interior and otherofficials. Trafficking in persons is included asone of the topics in the U.S.-Pakistan LawEnforcement Working Group.

The United States continued to be the largest sup-porter of the International Labor Organization’sInternational Program for the Elimination ofChild Labor in Pakistan. Specifically, the UnitedStates sponsored a $4 million project to combatchild labor that targets working children and chil-dren at risk of falling into work by placing them

in non-formal education centers to learn basic lit-eracy and numeric skills with the goal of main-streaming them into the government school sec-tor. In addition, to continue to support grassrootscommunity and labor organizations, the Embassysent a leader of the Bonded Labor LiberationFront on a multi-regional International Visitorprogram focused on “NGO Management.”

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka has a long history of democratic insti-tutions and processes, but its elections have his-torically been fraught with violence, and govern-ment capacity at the district and local levels isweak. Political infighting within the Governmentbetween the President and Prime Minister, result-ing in the President’s decision to call early elec-tions in April, was also an obstacle to attainingstability and democracy. While the overallhuman rights situation has improved significantlyfollowing the December 2001 commencement ofthe peace process between the Government andLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organi-zation, serious problems remained in some areas.These included torture of detainees by the mili-tary and police as well as the deaths and rapes of

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prisoners. Despite government investigations insome cases of past abuse, impunity remained aproblem. Discrimination and violence againstreligious minorities increased, and discriminationagainst persons with disabilities as well as ethnicdiscrimination against Tamils persisted. Violenceand discrimination against women, child prostitu-tion and trafficking in women and children werealso serious concerns. The LTTE continued tocommit serious human rights abuses includingextrajudicial killings, disappearances, torture,arbitrary arrests, detentions, extortion and recruit-ment of child soldiers.

U.S. human rights and democracy initiatives inSri Lanka focus on the ongoing peace process,which has had a direct and positive impact on thehuman rights situation in the country. The UnitedStates works through consistent and high-leveluse of public and private diplomacy tools, mili-tary-to-military human rights training and targetedhumanitarian and development assistance.

As part of this initiative, Deputy Secretary ofState Armitage co-chaired international donorconferences in 2002 and June 2003 in support ofthe peace process during which he repeatedlyhighlighted the importance of democratic soci-eties and respect for human rights. The DeputySecretary also chaired a meeting of Sri Lanka’smajor donors in February 2004, which called onthe Government of Sri Lanka to hold free and fairelections and to resume formal negotiations withthe LTTE as soon after the elections as possible.President Bush reaffirmed the U.S. commitmentto the peace process and the strengthening ofdemocratic institutions during his November2003 meeting with Prime MinisterWickremesinghe. The Embassy consistently reit-erated this message in meetings with Sri Lankanofficials, citing the peace process as a key factorin promoting human rights and democracy.

The LTTE is a Foreign Terrorist Organization(FTO) controlling about 15 percent of Sri Lanka

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and exerting influence in approximately another15 percent of the country. U.S. officials havemade repeated public statements expressing con-cern about the LTTE’s unabated recruitment ofchildren, assassination of political opponents andharassment of the minority Muslim population.Through dialogue with influential Tamil politi-cians and public diplomacy tools, theAmbassador communicated the U.S. positionregarding the LTTE’s October 2003 re-listing onthe U.S. FTO list.

As part of a $1.5 million U.S. Agency forInternational Development project, the U.S. strat-egy for Sri Lanka includes funding, technicalassistance and training to empower local civilsociety groups, media organizations, political par-ties and peace stakeholders to participate innational dialogues of peace. The United Stateshas worked to enhance the skill level of the PeaceSecretariat staff, particularly in conflict analysisand negotiation processes.

The National Human Rights Commission, a gov-ernment-appointed independent body, has beenactively investigating abuses and has more than2,500 cases of alleged abuses pending. To helpstrengthen the capacity of the National HumanRights Commission, the Bureau of Democracy,Human Rights and Labor funds a $100,000 proj-ect to assist in monitoring and reporting onhuman rights violations, especially in developingtools such as the Human Rights MonitoringSystem software and methodologies for participa-tory human rights training and education.

The Government’s arbitrary arrest of citizensunder the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) hasbeen a serious human rights problem. Althoughthe PTA is no longer used to detain new suspects,65 Tamils remain in jail on PTA charges. TheUnited States funds local organizations that workto insure that those who remain in detentionunder the PTA have access to legal services. In

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addition, the United States emphasized to theGovernment the importance of actively investigat-ing reports of government officials failing to com-ply with legal protections. The United States pro-vided much-needed generators and computerequipment to 19 courts in the war-torn north andeast. This equipment will help court officials bet-ter manage their large caseloads.

Human rights training is a key component of allU.S.-Sri Lankan military-to-military programs.The United States has sent senior Sri Lankan mil-itary officers to professional military educationcourses in the United States and funded SriLankan attendees at senior service schools.

Multiple attacks on Christian churches in SriLanka during 2003 led the United States toexpress deep concern about the violence in meet-ings between the Ambassador and Sri Lankanhigh-level government officials, including thePresident and Prime Minister, officials responsiblefor Buddhist, Tamil and Christian affairs, and toppolice officers. Assistant Secretary of State forSouth Asian Affairs Christina Rocca also dis-cussed this issue in depth with a Sri Lankan presi-dential advisor in Washington in February 2004.As part of this effort, the United States urged thatthose responsible for the violence be arrested andprosecuted. In speaking with Sri Lankan govern-ment officials and religious leaders, the United

States also expressed concerns about draft legis-lation targeting so-called “unethical conversions,”noting that the campaign for such legislation wasa contributing factor in the deterioration of thereligious freedom situation in the country. TheEmbassy also used the International Visitor pro-gram to further promote human rights and reli-gious freedom. During 2003, the Embassy nomi-nated two Muslim leaders who participated in an“Islam in America” program.

To address worker rights issues, the United Statesfunds a regional branch office in Sri Lanka of theAFL-CIO’s Solidarity Center, which is active inmaintaining contacts with trade unions and inpromoting worker rights.

The United States continued its dialogue with theGovernment regarding trafficking in persons.The Embassy received funding to supportNational Child Protection Authority (NCPA)efforts to increase police investigative capacity incases of juvenile abuse. The Embassy is alsofunding NCPA’s efforts to engage the judiciary inways to lessen the impact on children testifyingin such cases. The United States provided assis-tance to a non-governmental organization for itswork in combating trafficking in children andrehabilitating sexually exploited children. TheUnited States also funded psychosocial supportfor children affected by the armed conflict.

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