OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 012 (01/28/04)

S E C R E T COLOMBO 000165

SIPDIS

NOFORN

OFFICIAL INFORMAL

FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/14
TAGS: AMGT CE MV
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 012 (01/28/04)


Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reasons 1.5
b and d.

CONTENTS: TIGERS OFF TO OSLO
- ANOTHER CHURCH ATTACK
- J.R.'s SON DISMISSED FROM DEFENSE JOB
- WHERE OH WHERE IS OUR G/TIP CABLE?
- STATUS OF MALDIVIAN REQUEST RE DETAINEE?

TIGERS OFF TO OSLO
--------------


1. (SBU) FYI. Per Colombo 150, a LTTE delegation has left
Sri Lanka enroute to Oslo. The delegation, led by Tiger
political chief S.P. Thamilchelvam, intends to discuss the
"urgent humanitarian needs" of the north/east region with
officials in Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy,
and the Netherlands, according to the pro-LTTE website,
"TamilNet." The group's European trip is scheduled to last
two weeks. In the meantime, Norwegian Ambassador Brattskar
met with LTTE Eastern chief Karuna in Batticaloa yesterday.
(POL)

ANOTHER CHURCH ATTACK
--------------


2. (SBU) FYI. On January 26, a Catholic church located
some 15 miles east of Colombo was damaged in a late-night
arson attack. This follows two church attacks a week
earlier in the same area (Colombo o/i 8, 01-21-04). As in
the previous attacks, no one has been injured. The local
area police superintendent is quoted as saying he will
arrest the alleged attackers within a day or two. This
attitude is a positive change inasmuch as local police in
the past have appeared unwilling to vigorously track down
the perpetrators of the attacks. High-level police
officials in Colombo were quoted in the press recently,
however, as saying that a crackdown is planned. (POL)

J.R.'s SON DISMISSED FROM DEFENSE JOB
--------------


3. (C) FYI. Ravi Jayawardene, son of late President J.R.
Jayawardene, was recently let go from his long-held position
as Defense Ministry advisor. In the early 1980s,
Jayawardene was instrumental in training Sri Lankan special
forces who helped quell the JVP's 1987-89 insurrection.
While President Kumaratunga's office has denied any link, it
is interesting to note that Jayawardene's dismissal follows
shortly after the January 20 signing of the SLFP-JVP
alliance. Many wonder whether the JVP pressured the
President to remove Jayawardene. (POL)

WHERE OH WHERE IS OUR G/TIP CABLE?
--------------


4. (U) Mission knows that Sally Neumann, G/TIP officer for
South Asia, is currently traveling in the region. Before
Ms. Neumann left for her trip, however, Mission cleared on
wording to amend our LOA with the National Child Protection
Agency for projects approved last August 2003. We had hoped
that the front-channel with the wording would have gone out
already, but have not seen any sign of it. Would the desk
please check with someone in the G/TIP office on the status
of the message? These projects are important and we would
like to get them moving; one of the projects is aimed at
easing the distress of court testimony for juvenile victims
of abuse, for example. Thanks! (POL)

STATUS OF MALDIVIAN REQUEST RE DETAINEE?
--------------


5. (S/NF) Back in November, Mission conveyed the Maldivian
government's formal request for the release of the Maldivian
national detained in Guantanamo Bay (see 03 Colombo 2009).
According to our DAO, none of his contacts in DoD are aware
of any request from State Department on this issue. If the
desk would share who the Department has contacted at DoD,
DAO here would be happy to follow up. The GoRM has not
inquired about the status of their formal request as of yet,
but we should get back with a placeholder response. Thanks.
(POL/DAO)

LUNSTEAD