C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000576

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT, INR/NESA; NSC FOR

E. MILLARD

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04-03-13
TAGS: PGOV PTER PINS PHUM NO JA PINR CE LTTE
SUBJECT: Leading Tamil politicians criticize Tigers in
courageous, but highly risky move

Refs: Colombo 551, and previous

(U) Classified by Ambassador E. Ashley Wills.
Reasons: 1.5 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Two key Tamil politicians have
ramped up their criticism of the Tigers in recent weeks.
The politicians, V. Anandasangaree and N. Raviraj,
charge the Tigers with using strong-arm tactics in their
bid to control the Tamil community in Jaffna. The
course the two have chosen is a courageous one, but
risky, and, as of this point, they seem isolated in
their public stance. In the long-term, however, their
decision to oppose the Tigers could have important
ramifications for politics in the Tamil community. END
SUMMARY.

===========================
Two MPs take a Public Stand
===========================


2. (C) Two key Tamil politicians have ramped up their
criticism of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
in recent weeks. In highly unusual public remarks for
Tamils, the two, V. Anandasangaree and N. Raviraj, have
publicly underscored that they are independent of the
LTTE and do not have to listen to the group's edicts.
(Note: Anandasangaree, 70, is the leader of the Tamil
United Liberation Front, "TULF," and has been in
Parliament since 1970. He is from Jaffna. Raviraj, 40,
formerly mayor of Jaffna, represents the
Chavachchkacheri area in Jaffna for TULF. He has been
in Parliament since 2001.)


3. (C) Of the two, Anandasangaree's comments have been
particularly biting. Last month, for example, he
announced publicly that he did not see the LTTE as being
"the sole representative of the Tamil community."
(Note: It is a mantra of the LTTE that it is the "sole
representative" of the Tamils.) In February,
Anandasangaree also faced off against the LTTE, publicly

complaining about the group's (successful) effort to
prevent the ceremonial reopening of the Jaffna library.
(Note: In preventing the reopening, the LTTE clearly
did not want Tamil politicians, such as Anandasangaraee,
to get the credit for the reconstruction of a cultural
landmark -- See Reftels.)


4. (C) In the meantime, Raviraj has also made clear his
disdain for the LTTE, announcing recently that he was
seriously considering running as an independent
candidate for mayor of Jaffna, his former job.
(Note: It is possible that long-delayed local elections
may take place in the north and east in June.) In
making this announcement, Raviraj was signaling that he
wanted out of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a loose
political grouping of Tamil parties which has forged
very close links with the Tigers since it was formed in
late 2001.

============================
Strong Views in Private, too
============================


5. (C) To discuss the developing situation, the
Ambassador met separately with Anandasangaree on
March 19 and Raviraj on April 1. In these meetings,
both men hit out in very, very harsh terms against the
LTTE. One core element of their points was the
(accurate) claim that LTTE cadre are often using
intimidation and violence against Tamils in Jaffna.
While providing few details, both men went on to accuse
the LTTE of assassinating Tamil opponents in Jaffna and
elsewhere. (Note: Per Reftels, Mission has picked up
several reports lately in which LTTE cadre allegedly
have killed informants working for the security forces
and other Tamils. These reports have not been
confirmed.)

6. (C) Another aspect of their criticism of the LTTE is
that the group is showing no respect for the TULF.
Raviraj remarked that the Tigers seem to believe that
they have the "complete right" to control Tamil
politics. He went on to note to the Ambassador that the
TULF was the oldest Tamil political party and one of the
oldest in Sri Lanka, and should be respected by the
LTTE. In emotional tones, Raviraj also commented that
the Tigers should now back off given that the LTTE-GSL
war was in remission and let politics in the Tamil
community play out its natural course.

7. (C) In his comments to the two politicians, the
Ambassador underlined that he respected their courageous
views. The U.S. had never accepted that the Tigers were
the "sole representative of the Tamil people," and had
also always argued that the Tamil community in the north
and east deserved full democratic rights. The
Ambassador commented, however, that the two would be
wise to proceed carefully and judiciously. Both men
took the Ambassador's point, adding that they were
fearful of possible LTTE retribution and had spoken to
the GSL to request additional security. As of yet,
however, they had not been threatened directly by the
Tigers. The Ambassador asked both men to contact the
Mission immediately in case they received any such
threats. (Note: For its part, as is its style, the
LTTE has not commented publicly on the two men's
criticisms, though some pro-LTTE elements have harshly
hit out at them.)

================
Isolated, So Far
================


8. (C) At this point, Anandasangaree and Raviraj seem
isolated from the mainstream of Tamil politics, and, as
of yet, there is no indication that other well-known
Tamil politicians are about to join them in their anti-
LTTE stand. (Note: There are several former
paramilitary parties that have historically opposed the
LTTE. These groups, though they have some support, are
not within the general mainstream of Tamil politics.)
When asked, Anandasangaree admitted that few of the
other TNA (including TULF) MPs supported his views,
though he felt that some of them might do so privately.


9. (C) In a sign of the problem the two might have in
gaining support, N. Sampathan, a TULF MP from
Trincomalee with historically moderate leanings, has
given no indication of wanting to join them. In an
April 2 meeting with the Ambassador, Sampathan said he
thought that Anandasangaree was being "too emotional"
about things and "needed to act his age as a senior
leader of the party." Anandasangaree, he added, had
said some "unfortunate" things about the LTTE over the
Jaffna library incident. To clear the air, Sampathan
recommended that Anandasangaree go to the LTTE-
controlled Wanni region and discuss his concerns face-
to-face with the Tiger leadership. When asked,
Sampathan discounted the possibility that
Anandasangaree's life might be under threat from the
LTTE.


10. (C) Sampathan also maintained a sunny perspective
regarding the LTTE, in general. He said he thought the
group's cadre were reacting well to peace and that they
were maturing "after years in the jungle." It would
take time until the group acted more as a political
party and less as an insurgent army, but the
transformation had already begun. Queried about reports
of intimidation, Sampathan remarked that the Tigers
could not be blamed fully for that, as they were
fighting off the former paramilitary groups, which had
used strong-arm tactics against other Tamils.

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COMMENT
=======


11. (C) The course Anandasangaree and Raviraj have
chosen is a courageous one. It is also highly risky for
the two given that several top leaders of TULF have been
killed by the LTTE in the past. These assassinations
include that of TULF leader A. Amirthalingham (killed in
July 1989) and TULF senior MP N. Thirulchelvam (killed
July 1999). It is possible that the ongoing peace
process might afford the two men some protection in that
the Tigers might be reluctant to kill high-profile Tamil
opponents at this time.


12. (C) In the long-term, the decision by the two to
oppose the Tigers could have important ramifications,
especially if the ceasefire and peace process continue.
In the past, when the war was on, many Tamils did not
want to break community solidarity and criticize the
group. In light of the current peaceful situation,
however, many Tamils are clearly feeling less beholden.
Although very few Tamils have taken the plunge thus far,
it is possible that Anandasangaree and Raviraj could be
at the forefront of a movement that could point Tamil
politics in a more constructive direction. END COMMENT.


13. (U) Minimize considered.

WILLS