OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 081 (06/08/04)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000939

SIPDIS

OFFICIAL INFORMAL

FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/14
TAGS: AMGT CE MV
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 081 (06/08/04)


Classified by DCM James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.5 (b)
and (d).
CONTENTS: PARLIAMENT AS USUAL, AGAIN
- LEADING BUDDHIST MONK DIES
- REAGAN CONDOLENCE BOOK

PARLIAMENT AS USUAL, AGAIN
--------------


1. (C) FYI. On June 8, Parliament met for the third time
since the April elections and chaos reigned again. Details
are still unclear, but Buddhist monks MPs in the JHU party
came to blows with MPs from the President's United People's
Freedom Alliance (UPFA) regarding the validity of replacing
one of the JHU monk MP. The incident occurred amid other
reports that the UPFA was attempting to win over additional
MPs to gain a majority in the 225-member Parliament. There
is no indication, at present, that the UPFA gained their
majority. (POL)

LEADING BUDDHIST MONK DIES
--------------


2. (SBU) FYI. The Most Venerable Rambukwella Vipassi
Mahanayake Thera, one of Sri Lanka's most senior Buddhist
monks, passed away on June 7. As chief monk of the Malwatte
Sect of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Venerable Vipassi Mahanayake
Thera was a leading voice in Sri Lankan society. He was
well respected for his moderate views in the peace process,
religious, and cultural issues, and politicians and civil
society across the spectrum sought his opinion. The
Mahanayake Thera's replacement will be chosen through an
election by fellow monks and there is no clear successor at
the moment. The deputy Mahanayake, another moderate figure
in Sri Lankan Buddhism, will be the acting chief of the
Malwatte Temple in the interim. (POL)

REAGAN CONDOLENCE BOOK
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3. (U) Our condolence book was open for signature this
morning, with Foreign Minister Kadirgamar the first to
come in. (DCM)
LUNSTEAD