OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 085 (06/17/04)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001018 SIPDIS OFFICIAL INFORMAL FOR SA/INS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT CE MV LTTE SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 085 (06/17/04) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reasons 1.5 b and d. Contents: VISIT BY PUBLIC SECURITY MINISTRY SECRETARY SITUATION IN THE EAST STATUS OF VISIT BY G/TIP SALLY NEUMANN HOUSEKEEPING BPP VISIT BY PUBLIC SECURITY MINISTRY SECRETARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) We have received a request from Tilak Ranaviraja, the Secretary in the Ministry of Public Security, Law and Order for assistance in arranging some USG appointments while he is traveling in the U.S. July 5-10. We have told his staff that their Embassy in DC should make the appointments, so you may be hearing from Devinda et al on this. He's interested in Homeland Security, Coast Guard, etc. He is a smart fellow and helpful to us - our main contact on TIP/PISCES, for instance. (DCM) SITUATION IN THE EAST -------------- ¶2. (C) Jim returned yesterday from a trip to Ampara and Batticaloa in the east. One overwhelming observation from his travels is that the Karuna affair is far from over. Military, police and SLMM officials in the East described how small Karuna groups continue to move at will in the East. In a number of towns, for example, pro-Prabakharan officials have been ostensibly put in place but are not to be found in the local LTTE office for fear of being bumped off by Karuna pistol gangs. Larger activity is also still taking place: during the trip, some sort of attack or incident between the LTTE factions took place west of Valaichchenai (north of Batti) but military interlocutors were not yet able to tell Jim exactly what it was. Most interlocutors said Tamil opinion on the street in the East is still heavily pro-Karuna. Everybody professed to have no idea where Mr. K is. The trip was also an opportunity to open a number of very impressive AID/OTI projects in Batticaloa town but also in smaller locations near Ampara like Olluvil, Akarrapaittu and Samanthurai, places where, in some instances, Tamil/Muslim tensions were clear. (DCM) STATUS OF VISIT BY G/TIP SALLY NEUMANN -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Our G/TIP program officer, Sally Neumann, is tentatively scheduled to visit from June 27 to July 6, according the itinerary she sent via email on June 4. Since that time, Ms. Neumann has not responded to several emails requesting confirmation of her trip. Mission also has not received a country clearance request cable. With June 27 rapidly approaching, would the desk please check with Ms. Neumann if she still intends to visit and the status of her country clearance request? Thanks. (POL) HOUSEKEEPING -------------- ¶4. (U) Wondering how long you are still going to be at G Street. BPP --- ¶5. (U) Has it been presented? Reaction? ___ LUNSTEAD