A leading American human rights activist has been urged by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to act as a facilitator to help heal strained ties between the United States and Sri Lanka.
Martin Luther King III, son of the legendary US civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., was in Sri Lanka this week to attend a series of civil rights events, including the opening of the Martin Luther King Jr.
Commemorative Exhibition, “Justice Everywhere”, at the National Art Gallery, Colombo.
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| Martin Luther King III |
Mr. King is the founder of Realizing the Dream, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting worldwide the civil rights work begun by his famous father.
The President had asked Mr. King to “see if there is anything we could do to facilitate a better relationship with the US”. The distinguished visitor was quick to point out that Realizing the Dream did not represent the US government, but said his organisation could certainly help “build a bridge”.
“We are in contact with the US State Department,” Mr. King said.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, given just before he left for the US yesterday, Mr. King noted that “now that the [Sri Lanka Presidential election] has occurred, a better relationship will unfold.”
He said the United States has provided food and other essentials for the camps for displaced persons, which “I think has been helpful”. Asked whether he thought the US had done all it could to help Sri Lanka, Mr. King said, “Maybe not. Perhaps there will be an opportunity now.”
Mr. King met government, civil society and religious leaders and “most of all, people who have been impacted, the grassroots community impacted by the war”.
“I went to the North, and our team also went to the East,” he added.
In Mallavi, near Kilinochchi, Mr. King met groups of displaced people. He said he found them afraid to speak because “it was so fresh [the conflict]. What they did say was that they were so pleased that the conflict is over”.
“They want to get on with their lives,” he said. “They just don’t know how.”
US Ambassador Patricia Butenis opened the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Exhibition, and Mr. King delivered the keynote address. This was Mr. King’s first visit to Sri Lanka.
Nobel Peace Laureate Martin Luther King Jr. led the American civil rights movement of the 1950-60s, the very movement that cost him his life.
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