Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06COLOMBO1596
2006-09-28 13:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: AIR FORCE STRIKES TIGER BASES,
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C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001596
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PREF MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: AIR FORCE STRIKES TIGER BASES,
CONSOLIDATES GAINS AS CO-CHAIRS PUSH FOR TALKS
REF: A. COLOMBO 1564 AND PREVIOUS
B. COLOMBO CE 1588
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake for reasons 1.4(b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001596
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PREF MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: AIR FORCE STRIKES TIGER BASES,
CONSOLIDATES GAINS AS CO-CHAIRS PUSH FOR TALKS
REF: A. COLOMBO 1564 AND PREVIOUS
B. COLOMBO CE 1588
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (C) On September 25-26, the Sri Lanka AIR FORCE (SLAF)
struck LTTE training camps in the northwestern district of
Mannar, according to the National Security Media Center
(NSMC). On September 27, Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad
Samarasinghe told poloff that the SLAF had successfully
struck a Sea Tiger base in northeastern Mullaitivu that
afternoon. The pro-LTTE Tamilnet website claimed the strikes
had hit civilian targets. Meanwhile, Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres fired mortars on a Security Task
Force (STF) camp in Trincomalee district on September 28,
according to the NSMC.
2. (C) In a September 27 conversation, Brigadier Samarasinghe
implied to Embassy Information Officer that the military
intends to continue operations to consolidate its gains
"before turning south," presumably to appease the southern
nationalist parties. Sri Lanka Army Engineers operations
officer Major General Mohan told poloff on September 28; "The
LTTE's spirit has been broken" by the Sri Lanka military's
victories since July 2006 (ref A),adding "They won't want to
come to peace talks with their heads low."
3. (C) Ambassador Blake called on chiefs of the AIR Force,
Army and Navy on September 27. The Ambassador expressed the
US Government's desire to help Sri Lanka defend itself in the
war on terror, but stressed that we do not believe there is a
military solution to the conflict and that we strongly
support a negotiated settlement. Ambassador requested the
chiefs to help us to help them by (a) exercising maximum
restraint in not engaging in offensive military operations as
the Co-Chairs try to nail down the date and venue for talks
to begin; and (b) being very careful to avoid human rights
violations. The Ambassador noted that recent human rights
violations have garnered headlines in the US and that further
violations could jeopardize exercises and other military
cooperation (ref B).
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PREF MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: AIR FORCE STRIKES TIGER BASES,
CONSOLIDATES GAINS AS CO-CHAIRS PUSH FOR TALKS
REF: A. COLOMBO 1564 AND PREVIOUS
B. COLOMBO CE 1588
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (C) On September 25-26, the Sri Lanka AIR FORCE (SLAF)
struck LTTE training camps in the northwestern district of
Mannar, according to the National Security Media Center
(NSMC). On September 27, Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad
Samarasinghe told poloff that the SLAF had successfully
struck a Sea Tiger base in northeastern Mullaitivu that
afternoon. The pro-LTTE Tamilnet website claimed the strikes
had hit civilian targets. Meanwhile, Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres fired mortars on a Security Task
Force (STF) camp in Trincomalee district on September 28,
according to the NSMC.
2. (C) In a September 27 conversation, Brigadier Samarasinghe
implied to Embassy Information Officer that the military
intends to continue operations to consolidate its gains
"before turning south," presumably to appease the southern
nationalist parties. Sri Lanka Army Engineers operations
officer Major General Mohan told poloff on September 28; "The
LTTE's spirit has been broken" by the Sri Lanka military's
victories since July 2006 (ref A),adding "They won't want to
come to peace talks with their heads low."
3. (C) Ambassador Blake called on chiefs of the AIR Force,
Army and Navy on September 27. The Ambassador expressed the
US Government's desire to help Sri Lanka defend itself in the
war on terror, but stressed that we do not believe there is a
military solution to the conflict and that we strongly
support a negotiated settlement. Ambassador requested the
chiefs to help us to help them by (a) exercising maximum
restraint in not engaging in offensive military operations as
the Co-Chairs try to nail down the date and venue for talks
to begin; and (b) being very careful to avoid human rights
violations. The Ambassador noted that recent human rights
violations have garnered headlines in the US and that further
violations could jeopardize exercises and other military
cooperation (ref B).
BLAKE