TRINCOMALEE STILL RESTIVE; BUDDHA STATUE STAYS FOR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001089 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PGOV PHUM KIRF PREL CE LTTE SUBJECT: TRINCOMALEE STILL RESTIVE; BUDDHA STATUE STAYS FOR NOW REF: A. COLOMBO 1053 ¶B. COLOMBO 0998 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) On June 17, the Court of Appeals suspended until June 30 the Trincomalee Magistrate's decision to remove all unauthorized religious statues, including a controversial Buddha statue erected by a pro-Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) union, from Trincomalee town (REFTEL). Despite the relative calm in Trincomalee town, tensions remain high in other parts of the district due to the June 17 killing of a police intelligence officer by suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) elements in a predominantly-Sinhala area of Trincomalee. Several incidents of violence against Tamils have been reported, and villagers angered by the policeman's killing, on June 18, attacked members of the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM),who were on their way to investigate. Meanwhile, questions over the proposed "Joint Mechanism" have spurred a three-day token fast in Trincomalee organized by the pro-LTTE Tamil Peoples Organization (TPO). END SUMMARY. -------------- THREAT OF STRIKE POSTPONED AGAIN -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On June 17, the Court of Appeals in Colombo suspended until June 30 the Trincomalee Magistrate's earlier decision to remove all unauthorized religious statues from Trincomalee town (Ref A). Acting on a petition filed by the Trincomalee Three-wheelers Association, which originally erected the statue, the Court of Appeals' order prevents the police and the Trincomalee Urban Council from removing the controversial Buddha statue or any other unauthorized religious structure. The TPO has threatened to begin a strike on July 10 unless the statue is removed. (Comment: This is the third postponement of the strike date, and perhaps the last, as many Embassy sources have reported that any strike in Trincomalee would have to wait until the completion of the "A" level exams, which are scheduled to be completed by June 30. End Comment.) ¶3. (SBU) The May 31 case filed by the Attorney General (AG) in the Trincomalee District Court (Ref A),which asks for a ruling that the construction of the Buddha statue on state land is unlawful, remains scheduled for August 3. -------------- VIOLENCE OUTSIDE OF TRINCO: SLMM GETS CAUGHT IN THE LINE OF FIRE 
 -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Despite the relative calm in town, violence has erupted in other parts of the district following the killing of a police intelligence officer by suspected LTTE elements in the predominantly-Sinhala town of Serunuwara on June 17. The policeman's killing has led to several reports of increased violence against Tamils, including an attack against a truck belonging to the LTTE-linked Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) and its driver. Also attacked were SLMM monitors who had gone to the area to investigate the attack against the Tamil driver and the policeman's killing. SLMM spokesperson Helen Olafsdottir told poloff on June 20 that the SLMM vehicle drove into a demonstration of angry villagers who began throwing stones at the SLMM vehicle. A large stone cracked the vehicle's windshield, forcing the monitors to abandon their car and take shelter in a house occupied by police, where they remained for three hours until the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) could rescue them. Olafsdottir told poloff that the SLMM is now reevaluating its monitoring procedures in that area. -------------- MORE SYMBOLIC FASTING -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The TPO has organized a three day "token fast" in different towns in Trincomalee from June 20-June 22 to show its support for the "Joint Mechanism" and to urge the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) to sign the agreement. The TPO has invited any member of the Tamil, Sinhalese, or Muslim community in support of the Joint Mechanism to join the fast. -------------- MILITARY CHANGES -------------- ¶6. (SBU) According to press reports, Trincomalee Naval Commander Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera was transferred from his post as Eastern Naval Area Commander effective June ¶30. Local press speculated that Weerasekera's removal was prompted by his alleged interference in the Buddha statue incident (septel). ¶7. (SBU) Sri Lankan military resumed transport of LTTE officials on June 15, a privilege that had been temporarily suspended following the killing of an army intelligence officer in Colombo on May 31 (Ref B). Commander of LTTE forces in Trincomalee Col. Sornam reportedly arrived in Trincomalee aboard a Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter, facilitated by the SLMM, according to the local press. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Although civil protests about the Buddha statue appear to have abated for now, the continued violence is keeping tensions in Trincomalee high. The unprecedented attack on the SLMM vehicle offers just one indication of mounting popular frustration. Our consular chief has just returned from a trip to Trincomalee to stay in touch with Americans there. We continue to monitor the situation closely. LUNSTEAD