OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 02 (01-06-03)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000026

SIPDIS

OFFICIAL INFORMAL

DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS FROM AMBASSADOR WILLS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01-06-12
TAGS: CE MV AGMT LTTE
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 02 (01-06-03)

Classified by Ambassador Wills, Reasons 1.5 (b, d)

CONTENTS: AMBASSADOR RECEIVES EPDP DELEGATION
PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH
MALDIVES AND ICC
PRO-LTTE ODE TO A MID-WINTER'S DAY

AMBASSADOR RECEIVES EPDP DELEGATION
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1. (C) The Ambassador received an EPDP delegation led by
its leader, Douglas Devananda, today. As expected, the
group complained about the LTTE. Among the EPDP's
allegations of Tiger harassment were various instances of
physical attacks, threats against family members,
abductions, and at least one killing. Devananda also
claimed that the LTTE was distributing leaflets to EPDP
cadre and other non-LTTE Tamils in the east demanding
that they resign from political life and lead "normal"
lives. (Note: The pro-LTTE website "TamilNet" admitted
to the pamphlets in its posting today.) The Ambassador
responded that the USG supports pluralism and that we do
not believe that the LTTE is the sole representative of
the Tamil people. The Ambassador added, however, that
before formulating any response to the recent incidents
it would be best to await the outcome of the talks in
Thailand. If the LTTE shows a willingness to compromise
on the high security zone issue and is willing to engage
with the GSL on human rights matters, that may be a sign
that the LTTE is willing to review its position on
political parties in the north and east. (POL)

PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH
--------------

2. (SBU) On Sunday night, January 5, Prime Minister
Wickremesinghe gave a nationally televised address. In
essence, the address was a "State of the Union"-type of
speech in which the PM reviewed what he considered his
coalition's major successes of the last year. Three
major points seemed to emerge: (1) The PM stated that
the peace process was at a "decisive moment" and that it
was now time to start making a transition to a permanent
peace. (2) The PM also reached out to the President,
urging her to work with him to make peace possible.
(3) The PM also spent much of the speech underscoring the
GSL's commitment to economic growth/reform. We have
faxed you a copy of the speech and we will refer to it in
front-channel reporting. (POL)

MALDIVES AND ICC
--------------

3. (C) Mission continues to work with the Maldivian
government re the ICC Article 98 proposal. We confirmed
to the MFA today that both India and Nepal have now
signed no-surrender agreements with the United States (in
addition to Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in this region).
Permanent Secretary Shaheed responded that the MFA
continued to review our proposal very closely. (POL)

PRO-LTTE ODE TO A MID-WINTER'S DAY
--------------

3. (U) FYI. We received a belated New Year's card from
a pro-LTTE party today. The poem in the card was quite
elegant, touching on sincerity and peace -- and yet it
contained so much technical information, including on the
high security zone issue!! It clearly was not written by
T.S. Eliot, but it's sort of inspirational in an odd way
(particularly if you have been lying under a rock in the
Wanni for the past 20 years and your only friend was an
AK-47). We wanted to share it with you:

"Be the prevailing peace
Be pregnant with permanence
Be sensible and sincere with deliverance.
We bless with open mind governance.

Let's toil steadfastly,
To make our brethrens, strongly
To live upright with freedom, eternally
In the motherland freely,

Let's break down,
The barriers of the,
Aggressive zones that,
Pierce the self dignity of Tamils.

Let's rise to the occasion of unification,
To win the Sri Lankan Tamil's aspirations,
In the birth of,
The embodiment of,
The universal light"

Kinda brings a tear to the ol' eyeballs, eh? (POL)

WILLS