TIGERS' TNA PROXIES BLAME GOVERNMENT AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002108

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2015
TAGS: PGOV PTER CE LTTE
SUBJECT: TIGERS' TNA PROXIES BLAME GOVERNMENT AND
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR LACK OF PROGRESS ON PEACE

REF: A. COLOMBO 2058


B. COLOMBO 1656

Classified By: DCM JAMES F. ENTWISTLE. Reason 1.4 (b and d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a December 15 meeting with pro-Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
parliamentarians, the Ambassador stressed U.S. and
international concern at the escalation of violence following
the November 17 election. The TNA MPs were quick to deny
LTTE involvement in cease-fire violations, harped on
Government non-compliance with the Cease-fire Agreement (CFA)
by allowing breakaway LTTE leader Karuna to operate in the
East, and insisted that Norway remain involved in the peace
process. The LTTE, the TNA claimed, is still waiting for a
"positive sign" from the government. Noting the LTTE call
for Rajapaksa to be pragmatic, the Ambassador suggested the
TNA show a little pragmatism itself by initiating contact
with President Rajapaksa. End summary.


2. (C) On December 15 pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs R. Sampanthan,
Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam and Joseph Pararajahsingham called
on the Ambassador and DCM to exchange views before the
December 19 co-chairs' meeting in Brussels. The Ambassador
expressed grave concern at recent attacks on Sri Lankan
military forces in Jaffna (Ref A). He pointed out that a
recent attack destroyed a humanitarian de-mining vehicle
donated by the US. Sampanthan replied that, as usual, the
blame is assigned to the LTTE though recent discoveries
"prove" that (other) paramilitaries, with government
collusion, are involved. The TNA members referred to an
article recently appearing on TamilNet and other Tamil
sources reporting an interview with two alleged prisoners
from the breakaway Karuna faction. The defectors claimed
that Karuna,s cadres, with the assistance of the anti-LTTE
Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) and Social Affairs
Minister Douglas Devananda, have been instigating violence
between Muslim and Tamil communities in the East, as well as
cease-fire violations including several claymore mine
attacks, in order to discredit the LTTE. The Ambassador
expressed doubt over the credibility of such accounts, as
well as Sampanthan's assertion that the LTTE had not been
involved in the December 14 shooting at a Sri Lanka Air Force
helicopter.


3. (C) Recent aggressive actions and the LTTE-enforced
boycott of the November 17 election, the Ambassador stressed,
raise grave doubts among the international community about
the LTTE's commitment to the peace process. Sampanthan
insisted that though the Tigers had "recommended" Tamils not
vote in the Presidential election in order to prove to the
international community that the majority Sinhalese would not
support a federal solution or devolution of power in the
North and East, Tamils had exercised free will in choosing
not to vote. The Ambassador replied that the LTTE had
clearly suppressed the Tamil vote and expressed concern that
the LTTE is rejecting international involvement in the peace
process. He stressed that the international community may
lose interest and aid money dry up if the LTTE and the
government do not move to resume the peace process soon. The
international community has made it clear it understands
there are legitimate historical Tamil grievances to be
redressed and supports a political solution incorporating
federalism, but the onus is on the Tigers and the Government
now to return to the table without posturing, he emphasized.


4. (C) Pararajasingham indicated the LTTE and TNA are waiting
for a "positive sign" from President Mahinda Rajapaksa,s
government. He returned often to the subject of paramilitary
groups, demanding the government disarm the Karuna faction
and others in order to comply with the Cease-fire Agreement
(CFA). Although Sampanthan and his colleagues did not deny
the Tigers have perpetrated occasional violence, they alleged
the government had committed far more atrocities since the
CFA was signed. (Note: Evidence compiled by the Sri Lanka
Monitoring Mission shows that the LTTE has committed the
overwhelming number of violations recorded since the CFA
began.) Jaffna district MP Ponnanbalam contended that the
presence of armed paramilitaries and the government's
unwillingness to disarm them pose the most dangerous
impediment to the peace process "staying on track."
Sampanthan argued, "I don't think the LTTE has abandoned the
prospect of a political solution, but they have doubts the
Sri Lankan state will be able to deliver." He said the LTTE
has become "impatient" with the international community for
its inability to deliver the Tigers into the political
mainstream through a practical arrangement such as the
Interim Government Authority (ISGA) or even a viable tsunami
relief joint mechanism. Ponnanbalam added that in light of
such "discouragement" the Tigers would not allow themselves
to be militarily weakened. The LTTE is adamant that Norway
remain at the center of the peace process, the MPs stressed.
The Ambassador stressed that Norway's effectiveness as
facilitator depended on both sides wainting to move forward
towards peace.


5. (C) The DCM urged the LTTE, through the TNA, to stop
giving credit to remaining elements of Sinhala extremism by
such arbitrary demonstrations of authority as the arrest of
three Sri Lankan policemen who ventured into
Tiger-controlled area in pursuit of a British pedophile (Ref
B). Releasing the policemen would be an inexpensive,
positive gesture and a good public relations move. The MPs
complained that Rajapaksa is focusing on his "southern
consensus" but has not invited the TNA for a meeting. The
Ambassador recommended that, rather than sit and complain,
the TNA request a meeting with the President.


6. (C) COMMENT: TNA consonance with LTTE rhetoric is hardly
surprising; the MPs have about the same freedom to express
their views as the voters in LTTE-controlled territory did on
election day. Like the LTTE, the TNA MPs continue to put all
of the burden of moving forward with the peace process on the
government (and the international community, which, in their
view, should do more to pressure the government),while
refusing to acknowledge Tiger responsibility for the recent
uptick in violence. Their ambivalence about the future of
the cease-fire and inability to show any flexibility in
dealing with the government offer depressing insight into
current Tiger attitudes toward the peace process. While we
have little hope that the MPs will carry our message
unadulterated back to Kilinochchi, it is still important to
remind these apologists that we hold the Tigers, as well as
the Government, responsible for upholding the CFA and
advancing the peace process.
LUNSTEAD