Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02COLOMBO1828
2002-10-01 11:08:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

LTTE Update: Tigers reportedly have success

Tags:  PGOV PTER PINS PINR PREL CE LTTE 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

011108Z Oct 02
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001828 

SIPDIS

NOFORN

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT

NSC FOR E. MILLARD

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10-01-12
TAGS: PGOV PTER PINS PINR PREL CE LTTE
SUBJECT: LTTE Update: Tigers reportedly have success
in recruiting; Divisions in the LTTE re peace process?

Refs: (A) Colombo 1815

- (B) Colombo 1299, and previous

(U) Classified by W. Lewis Amselem, Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b, d).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001828

SIPDIS

NOFORN

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT

NSC FOR E. MILLARD

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10-01-12
TAGS: PGOV PTER PINS PINR PREL CE LTTE
SUBJECT: LTTE Update: Tigers reportedly have success
in recruiting; Divisions in the LTTE re peace process?

Refs: (A) Colombo 1815

- (B) Colombo 1299, and previous

(U) Classified by W. Lewis Amselem, Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (C) This update of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) activities reviews the following:

-- Tigers reportedly having success recruiting

-- Divisions in the LTTE regarding the peace process??

-- LTTE spokesman Balasingham said to be "obsessed" with
the U.S.

-- In a first, Tigers publish a newspaper in Sinhala,
the language of the majority community

--------------
Reported Success in Recruiting
--------------


2. (C) The LTTE seems to be having some success in
recruiting. According to various contacts, the LTTE may
have added several hundred new cadre since the peace
process started in December 2001. (Note: The LTTE is
variously estimated to have approximately 8,000-12,000
personnel.) Jehan Perera, the head of a local think-
tank, told us that he had heard that the LTTE was urging
Tamils to join by asserting that "we have won the war,
and now need supporters to help administer the north and
east." Perera said this type of pitch was reportedly
effective, especially in Jaffna District, where
government security forces have eased their long-
standing clampdown, allowing the LTTE to emerge from the
shadows.


3. (C) In addition to its calibrated pitch, the LTTE's
recruiting drive seems quite sophisticated and
extensive. Tamil politicians report that trained LTTE
recruitment teams have spread out across the north and
the east. The teams show videos of past LTTE
military/terrorist exploits, hand out pamphlets, and
then try to sign up volunteers on the spot. To stay on
cue, the teams are given prepared answers to possible
questions from event attendees. (Note: While the
recruitment drive events are intensive, G. Ponnambalam,

a senior Tamil National Alliance MP, told us that they
are much more low-key than the pro-LTTE "Pongu Tamil"
festivals held earlier this year. These events involved
mammoth crowds surrounded by large posters of LTTE
leader V. Prabhakaran and included ritualistic pledges
in support of LTTE goals.)


4. (C) Comment: With the peace process moving at full
tilt, the LTTE is apparently searching for a different
type of recruit. In the past, the vast majority of the
recruits were earmarked to join the LTTE's military
wing. Contacts report, however, that the LTTE's new
focus is on recruiting for political and administrative
positions in the expectation that the LTTE will soon be
in the de facto position of governing the north and
east. This is not to say that military recruitment is
not going on: LTTE Trincomalee military chief Paduman
recently officiated at a widely publicized "graduation
ceremony" for about a hundred armed "cadets." End
Comment.

--------------
Divisions re Peace Process?
--------------


5. (S/NF) Tentative reports are emerging of divisions
in the LTTE regarding the direction of the peace
process. Milinda Moragoda, a key Sri Lankan government
official involved in peace process issues (Amcit--pls
protect),told us that the GSL had intercepted LTTE
communications indicating that there was some dissonance
toward LTTE spokesman Anton Balasingham's management of
the peace process. While it was not clear, Moragoda
continued, the feeling among some in the LTTE (NFI) was
that Balasingham was taking too soft a line toward the
GSL.


6. (S/NF) Meanwhile, other contacts report that
regional tensions in the LTTE remain a factor, with
leaders in the east (Karuna, Karikalan) more hard-line
than most of the leadership in the north. That said,
there are reports of hard-liners in the north, too:
Ponnambalam told polchief that Colonel Banu, a high-
level military official based at LTTE headquarters in
Kilinochchi, was known to be quite apprehensive about
the peace process and what he saw as its negative effect
on the LTTE's military preparedness.


7. (S/NF) Comment: Little is known about the nature of
the LTTE decision-making process, except that
Prabhakaran seems firmly in charge. Thus, the real
issue is who has influence on Prabhakaran. What we are
hearing is a bit fuzzy, but it potentially may indicate
that a hard-line, irreconcilable element may be trying
to marginalize Balasingham in order to slow down the
peace process. End Comment.

-------------- --
Balasingham said to be "Obsessed" with the U.S.
-------------- --


8. (C) Despite the lack of direct contact, the LTTE
seems to maintain a deep interest in the U.S. Based on
his recent meetings with Balasingham at the September
peace talks in Thailand, Milinda Moragoda reported that
the Tiger spokesman peppered him with questions on where
the U.S. stands with regard to the conflict. Moragoda's
impression was that Balasingham was "obsessed" on the
subject. In one conversation, for example, when
Moragoda noted that he was going to the U.S. after the
conclusion of the talks, Balasingham sniffed, "What for?
To buy arms?" Moragoda said he had jokingly replied
that he had done that during his last visit.


9. (C) Comment: In comments tending to back up
Moragoda's report, we have heard from other contacts
that the LTTE is very worried about the stance of the
U.S. toward the group. This concern seems to have
spiked in the aftermath of September 11 and continued on
from that date. At the heart of the LTTE's interest
seems to be a nagging fear that the U.S. may one day
directly confront the LTTE. Many Sri Lankans, including
Moragoda, believe that this concern about the U.S. and
its reaction is one of the factors driving the LTTE's
continued involvement in the peace process. End
Comment.

--------------
LTTE Publishes in Sinhala
--------------


10. (SBU) For the first time in its history, the LTTE
has published a paper in Sinhala, the language of Sri
Lanka's majority Sinhalese community. The first edition
of "Dedunna" ("Rainbow") was published in September.
The paper is a weekly and is published in Kilinochchi.
It is not clear how many copies of the paper the LTTE is
distributing. It seems to be free and is of relatively
high quality with colored photos.

11. (C) Comment: In publishing the paper, the LTTE
seems to be making an effort to reach out and explain
its positions to the Sinhalese south. For many years,
the LTTE has been active in publishing with front
organizations putting out Tamil- and English-language
periodicals. Of late, websites have also been
established. The LTTE has never published in Sinhala,
however. If the first edition is anything to go by, it
is doubtful that the weekly will go over that well in
the south: its huge photo of Prabhakaran will probably
not be a big draw, nor will photos of children in
uniforms dancing under the sinister, North Korea-like
slogan "peace through freedom." End Comment.


12. (U) Minimize considered.

WILLS