Cohabitation row continues as President blasts

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001754

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT
DEPARTMENT ALSO PASS TOPEC
NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10-08-13
TAGS: PTER PGOV PINS PHUM CE
SUBJECT: Cohabitation row continues as President blasts
PM over security

Refs: Colombo 1642, and previous

(U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission James F.
Entwistle. Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: President Kumaratunga has responded to
a nasty letter sent by Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe on September 18. In the response, the
President criticizes the PM's record on national
security and urges him to put the country before his
desire to remain in power. The continued critical back-
and-forth between the two underscores the tense
cohabitation relationship and may have implications for
the peace process. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) As previously reported (Reftel),President
Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe have
exchanged several nasty letters regarding the security
situation around the eastern port city of Trincomalee.
The latest salvo in this back-and-forth came on October
6, when the President responded to the PM's letter of
September 18. The letter, which is quite lengthy and
detailed, was reproduced in the press on October 8. The
President made the following key points in the letter:

-- The President characterizes the PM's responses to her
security concerns as "evasive, and attempt to divert
attention from the very serious threat to national
security, caused by your acts of omissions and
commissions of the peace process."

-- Re her track record as Minister of Defense, the
President refutes the PM's criticism of her tenure, and
lashes out at the PM, stating that "Your own highly
personalized version of recent historical events wholly
belie actual facts."

-- Responding to the PM's allegations that she made
military decisions on the basis of party politics, the
President queries the PM as to his meaning, stating "Am
I to understand that your political ethics and morality
regarding the national interest means that one must hide
from the Cabinet of Ministers, the relevant authorities,
and the people, the true facts about crucial matters of
state such as the sovereignty and security of the state
and the safety of our peoples? If ensuring the latter
is what you call playing politics, it will be most
interesting to know what you consider to be
statesmanship and effective governance."


3. (U) The President goes on to state that, despite his
assurances, the PM had not taken steps to improve
preparedness or taken any initiatives to strengthen the
military. Further, she criticizes the PM's national
security strategy, alleging that on the PM's watch, the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had murdered
Tamil democratic political activists, continued
recruitment, smuggled in arms, and "completely dominated
the lives of the community in the entire government
controlled northern and eastern provinces."


4. (U) In closing the letter, the President urges the
PM to "attempt seriously, if it is at all possible, to
put the country before self and the desire to remain in
power at any cost." Wrapping up, the President offers
to advise and give leadership to the PM, "if you are
willing, even at this late stage, to realize what is
best by the country and not only for yourself."

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Cohabitation problems continue
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5. (C) Mission checked with contacts in the PM's
office, who reported that the PM had not yet decided
whether or not to respond to the President's letter.
Dr. Pakiasothy Saraivanamuttu, the executive director of
the Center for Policy Alternatives, a local think-tank,
told poloff on October 8 that the President's criticism
of the PM was merely her attempt to create a situation
of "discomfort" with how the PM was handling the
security situation and the peace process.
Saraivanamuttu added that he was unconvinced that the
President would take any dramatic action towards the PM,
and that if the relationship between the two did not
improve, there could be an adverse effect on the peace
process.


6. (C) COMMENT: Judging from the tone of their
correspondence, neither cohabitation partner has learned
to deal civilly with the other. The implications for
the sort of political compromise and collegiality that
may well be required as the peace process moves forward
are not encouraging. END COMMENT.


7. (U) Minimize considered.

LUNSTEAD