Spate of killings in eastern Sri Lanka as

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000868

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT
DEPARTMENT PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC
NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05-25-14
TAGS: PGOV PTER PINS PHUM CE LTTE
SUBJECT: Spate of killings in eastern Sri Lanka as
Tigers publicly state support for peace process

Refs: Colombo 827, and previous

(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: A spate of killings has taken place
recently in eastern Sri Lanka, amid public statements by
the Tigers indicating their support for the peace track
moving forward. The killings in the east, which are
almost certainly connected to the LTTE, seem to stem
from leftover factional fighting between the Tigers and
the remaining supporters of breakaway eastern LTTE
commander Karuna. Despite the Tigers' public
pronouncements supporting the peace process, a
continuation of this pattern of killings might adversely
affect peace moves. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Several recent killings have taken place in
Batticaloa province in the east and are almost certainly
connected to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE). Reimposing their control in the east, the
Tigers appear to be targeting, and assassinating, LTTE
cadre and civilians who supported breakaway eastern
commander Karuna. (Karuna's whereabouts are unknown.)
In the most recent incident on May 24, K. Thambaiah, a
senior lecturer at Eastern University in Batticaloa town
was shot and killed in his home. Thambaiah was rumored
to have been a public Karuna supporter and contacts
report that he may also have had financial connections
to the rebel leader.


3. (C) In addition, one LTTE cadre was killed near
Aalankulam, 42 kilometers north of Batticaloa town on
May 21, reportedly as the result of fighting between
Karuna supporters and the main LTTE organization.
Reports differ as to how the LTTE cadre was killed, with
some indicating that the cadre was killed in an
explosion and others indicating he was shot. Agnes
Bragadottir, spokeswoman for the Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission (SLMM) confirmed to poloff on May 24 that while
investigating the incident, the SLMM had found one dead
LTTE cadre who had been shot. Bragadottir noted,
however, that the SLMM was still continuing its
investigation of the case and had not yet made a final
determination.


4. (C) Separately, the Tigers are also implicated in the
latest deaths of GSL military and police operatives, in
apparent retaliation for what the Tigers believe to be
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) aid to Karuna. On May 19 S.
Dassanayake, a member of a Sri Lankan police
intelligence organization, was shot and killed in broad
daylight in central Batticaloa outside a post office.
Police spokesman Rienzie Perera told poloff on May 25
that while the police had made no arrests in the case
and were not sure who had perpetrated the killing, it
"bore all the marks of an LTTE assassination." In a
report on pro-Tiger website "TamilNet" on May 19, E.
Kausalyan, the Tiger political head Batticaloa district
denied any involvement in the case, stating "this
killing was done by agent provocateurs who do not want
the peace environment to continue." As previously
reported, on May 9, an SLA intelligence operative was
shot and killed while traveling to Batticaloa on a
civilian bus. Military spokesman Col. Sumeda Perera
told poloff on May 25 that while investigations
continued in the case, the killing was "almost
certainly" the work of the LTTE.


5. (C) In addition to these killings, there are other
signs that the Tigers continue to use intimidation in
the east. Several contacts in the east have told
Mission recently that Tiger recruitment in the east
continues. This recruitment, especially of children, is
reportedly of an increasingly violent nature. UNICEF
tells us the trendline on child recruitment is again
discouraging. Another tack that the Tigers have taken
of late is to insinuate that the Sri Lanka Army may have
been involved in killings of LTTE cadre. Reacting to
the current security situation, the GSL has appointed a
high-ranking military officer, Major General S.Kottegoda
as overall operations commander in Batticaloa.


6. (C) COMMENT: Amid some hopeful signs that peace
negotiations, stalled since April 2003, may get back on
track soon, these killings are a troubling development,
but not entirely unprecedented. (A spate of killings of
military informants and police took place in the summer
of 2003.) It remains to be seen how much these
assassinations will damage the LTTE's credibility at the
negotiating table, but this behavior by the Tigers,
coming at a time when the LTTE is publicly calling for a
return to talks, is clearly not winning them any points.
END COMMENT.


7. (U) Minimize considered.

LUNSTEAD