OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 024 (02/17/04)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000258

SIPDIS

OFFICIAL INFORMAL

FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/14
TAGS: AMGT CE MV LTTE
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 024 (02/17/04)

Classified by DCM James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.5 (b) and
(d).

CONTENTS: SRI LANKA ELECTION UPDATE
- TALES FROM THE TIGERS
- DCM BACK
- THANKS

SRI LANKA ELECTION UPDATE
--------------


1. (C) Sri Lanka is focused on all the little nuances
of the electoral campaign. The following are some of
the latest nuggets:

-- Today, February 17, is the official opening date for
nominations for the April 2 parliamentary elections.
Candidates have through February 24 to turn in
candidacy paperwork.

-- The Prime Minister is scheduled to address the
nation on television tonight. Not sure if he will say
anything dramatic (the reports we get say not),but we
will call you if he does.

-- The confusion regarding Milinda Moragoda's
resignation as Minister of Economic Reforms has cleared
up (see Colombo O/I 23). It is now official that
Minister K.N. Choksy has assumed stewardship of
Moragoda's former ministry.

-- There are unconfirmed reports that Ronnie de Mel, a
senior MP for the People's Alliance (PA),may again
switch political allegiance and return to the UNP. De
Mel is a well-regarded moderate in the PA and his
return to the UNP fold after some years would be good
news to the PM. De Mel apparently has had a falling
out with the President over the JVP alliance. Some
other PA MPs are also reportedly mulling over joining
the UNP.

-- Wimal Weerawansa, senior MP for the Marxist Janatha
Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP),has retracted recent comments
that had the JVP rejecting the ceasefire agreement with
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). (Polchief
and poloff plan to meet with the JVP's top leaders on
February 19 to discuss the election campaign.)

-- The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC),headed by
Muslim Affairs Minister Rauf Hakeem, has decided to
contest the election independently from the Prime
Minister's United National Front (UNF) coalition.
Although the SLMC will not be running under the UNF
banner like it did in the December 2001 parliamentary
elections, the group will likely support the UNP in
forming a government should the UNP win this April.

-- February 17 news reports are that Christian Affairs
Minister John Amaratunga has been sacked by President
Kumaratunga. We have been unable to confirm the
reports. (POL)

TALES FROM THE TIGERS
--------------


2. (C) The LTTE is also getting involved in some of
the campaign action. The following are details of the
Tigers recent doings:

-- A February 17 news report quotes Tiger political
chief S.P. Thamilchelvam as saying that the main
parties in the south -- UNP, SLFP -- have no place
campaigning in the north/east Tamil "homeland."

-- Recently sacked Hindu Affairs Minister T. Maheswaran
has announced that he is not running for reelection in
the upcoming parliamentary campaign. Maheswaran was
the only Tamil representing the UNF to be elected from
the Tamil-majority northern province during the last
election. In connection with Thamilchelvam statements
(mentioned above),Maheswaran was most likely
"encouraged" by the LTTE not to seek reelection.

-- The parties under the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
umbrella are having difficulty in using their chosen
election symbol and color: rising sun and yellow/red
of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). In a
political dispute between the TULF's anti-Tiger leader

V. Anandasangaree and other pro-LTTE TULF party
members, Anandasangaree has warned his party that using
the TULF symbols will violate a court order preventing
party decisions without the leader's consent. The TNA
(minus Anandasangaree) plans to meet February 17 with
Thamilchelvam and other Tiger officials to decide on a
final election symbol. (POL)

DCM BACK
--------------


3. (U) FYI - Jim returned to Colombo early Monday
morning from FSI training in Washington.

THANKS FOR HARD WORK
--------------


4. (C) We received State 33404 on "Providing
Assistance in LTTE Areas" on Friday, and want to thank
everyone who contributed in the long battle to get
this done. We know how difficult it has been. We are
beginning preliminary consultations here on how to
implement this, focusing both on what we want to get
done and on due diligence to make sure we are safely
within the bounds of law and policy.

LUNSTEAD