Special Media Reaction: Sri Lankan Media on Ambassador

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001141 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA, INR/MR, PA SCA/PD (SCENSNY, PALLADINO); SIPDIS E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: PHUM KPAO PTER EAID OIIP PREL CE SUBJECT: Special Media Reaction: Sri Lankan Media on Ambassador Lunstead's Final Press Conference. ¶1. (U) Summary: Coverage in the Sri Lankan media of Ambassador Lunstead's final press conference July 11 was widespread and positive. All four English language papers provided coverage, two on the front page below the fold. Three of four Tamil dailies and two of four Sinhalese broadsheets also covered the event. Television coverage was thorough with excerpts from the press conference appearing in English and both vernacular languages. The complete transcript is available at http://colombo.usembassy.gov/ End Summary. ¶2. (U) The English dailies divided their focus, with the government controlled Daily News and the pro-opposition Morning Leader both reporting that the LTTE needed to give up terrorism while the conservative Island and liberal Daily Mirror took on unusual positions with the Island stressing a Sri Lankan solution instead of their usual flogging of the LTTE as terrorists and the Daily Mirror advocating an undivided Sri Lanka instead of a federal solution. ¶3. (U) The following are the headlines and leads that appeared in government and independent papers the day after the press conference: -- LTTE should renounce terrorism - Lunstead -- Daily News (Government) July 12, 2006 "...The LTTE must renounce terrorism and enter the political path if a solution is to be reached to Sri Lanka's ethnic problem" -- "The US does not support the division of Sri Lanka," - Jeffrey Lunstead -- Daily Mirror (Independent) July 12, 2006 "The outgoing US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jeffrey Lunstead, yesterday reaffirmed his government's belief that a solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka should be within an undivided country." -- Solution should be home grown - Lunstead -- The Island (Independent) July 12, 2006 "Outgoing US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jeffrey J. Lunstead, yesterday said the solution to Sri Lanka's conflict should be a home grown one and based on how power should be shared to ultimately benefit all communities." -- America would love to see LTTE off of the terrorist list -- Lakbima - (Independent) Sinhala July 12, 2006 "Addressing his final press conference, US Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead said LTTE terrorism has been witnessed over many years and that now the LTTE should take steps to renounce terrorism and enter the democratic political stream." -- Seeing Sri Lanka as a undivided country is US hope: Lunstead states bidding farewell-- Lankadeepa - (Independent) Sinhala July 12, 2006 "At the press conference organized to be addressed by the outgoing Ambassador, he said that it has always been America's wish to see Sri Lanka as an undivided state." ¶4. (U) Typically Virakesari and Thinakkural, two independent Tamil newspapers, led with the Ambassador's warning that security forces must respect human rights and hard line Sinhalese parties must be flexible to achieve peace on their front pages. Excerpts of the two articles follow as well and the government Tamil paper follow: -- The stance of hardcore parties should change regarding the ethnic affair - Former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead -- Thinakkural (Independent) Tamil, July 12, 2006 "Parties that have a hardcore approach should change that stance and the security forces should stop violations and start to respect human rights." -- Government forces should stop its violations and respect human rights - U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead-- Virakesari(Independent) Tamil, July 12, 2006 "U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead said that the security forces COLOMBO 00001141 002 OF 002 should stop all violations and respect human rights in all aspects of their duties. A military solution will not solve the ethnic problem. The President and the Defense Ministry should guarantee that the soldiers behave themselves with the public and respect human rights. -- Outsiders cannot decide the solution for the ethnic problem - Former U.S. Ambassador Lunstead -- Thinakaran (Government) Tamil, July 12, 2006 "Outsiders cannot decide on a solution for Sri Lanka. This country should decide on a solution. The ethnic problem of two decades cannot be solved militarily. This was stated by former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead in his final press conference held yesterday." ¶4. (U) English and vernacular newscasts showed excerpts of the press conference on evening newscasts and morning news magazines the following day. ENTWISTLE