Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COLOMBO113
2007-01-19 09:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
GOVERNMENT AGREES TO TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE IN
how-toVZCZCXRO2486 PP RUEHBI DE RUEHLM #0113 0190932 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 190932Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5186 INFO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6752 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 4814 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3455 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0514 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 3547 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0971 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0304 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2625 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0129 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0169 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 7320 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 5057 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 0096 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1724 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0517 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000113
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/INS, USPACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV CE
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT AGREES TO TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE IN
VAKARAI TO ALLOW EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000113
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/INS, USPACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV CE
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT AGREES TO TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE IN
VAKARAI TO ALLOW EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS
1. (SBU) At the fourth Consultative Committee on
Humanitarian Affairs chaired by Minister for Human Rights and
Disaster Management Samarasinghe and Defense Secretary
Rajapaksa on January 19, Samarasinghe briefed selected
donors, UN agency representatives, Ambassador and AID
Mission Director on the rapidly evolving situation in Vakarai
explaining that he had been on the phone that morning with
the Government Agent responsible for the area. Samarasinghe
said that government forces had initiated a cease fire at
0400 on January 19 so that civilians could depart the area.
He said that six to seven thousand were in the process of
moving. He estimated that approximately 2,000 might be left.
Samarasinghe noted that the civilians were moving both south
along the beach and west through the jungle. He indicated
that the Government Agent has made arrangements for all
civilians to be transported to government schools and
government buildings where they would be provided temporary
shelter and food. He told the UN representatives that there
was sufficient food but requested that the ICRC and UNHCR
work with the Government Agent to provide temporary shelter
for all of the recently evacuated civilians. The ICRC
representative and the acting UNHCR representative were both
present and agreed to help.
2. (SBU) Ambassador asked about the status of the remaining
2,000 civilians and noted reports that food and medicine in
all likelihood had run out for them. He requested that the
ICRC and/or UNHCR be allowed access to determine the needs of
those civilians remaining. After consulting with the Defense
Secretary, Samarasinghe agreed to the request and asked the
SIPDIS
ICRC rep to work with the Government Agent to organize an
expert-level assessment team as soon as possible. The ICRC
agreed to do so. Samarasinghe also requested the Government
of Sri Lanka officials present to assess what might be needed
to enable all of these displaced civilians to return as
quickly as possible once the fighting had ceased.
3. (SBU) Comment: The evacuation of civilians and the
government's willingness to allow and ICRC assessment team
are both welcome and suggest that very few LTTE cadres remain
in the area. Embassy will continue to try to obtain whatever
information is available from defense sources on the military
situation there. More broadly, this was the first meeting of
the Consultative Committee since November. Embassy has been
pushing quietly to get these resumed as they are a unique
forum for the donors to discuss all the humanitarian issues
with both Samarasinghe and the Defense Secretary and get
immediate answers. By prior agreement with the other
Co-Chair Ambassadors, Ambassador will represent the Co-Chairs
at these biweekly meetings for the next several meetings at
least, after which Norway or Japan will take the lead.
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/INS, USPACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV CE
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT AGREES TO TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE IN
VAKARAI TO ALLOW EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS
1. (SBU) At the fourth Consultative Committee on
Humanitarian Affairs chaired by Minister for Human Rights and
Disaster Management Samarasinghe and Defense Secretary
Rajapaksa on January 19, Samarasinghe briefed selected
donors, UN agency representatives, Ambassador and AID
Mission Director on the rapidly evolving situation in Vakarai
explaining that he had been on the phone that morning with
the Government Agent responsible for the area. Samarasinghe
said that government forces had initiated a cease fire at
0400 on January 19 so that civilians could depart the area.
He said that six to seven thousand were in the process of
moving. He estimated that approximately 2,000 might be left.
Samarasinghe noted that the civilians were moving both south
along the beach and west through the jungle. He indicated
that the Government Agent has made arrangements for all
civilians to be transported to government schools and
government buildings where they would be provided temporary
shelter and food. He told the UN representatives that there
was sufficient food but requested that the ICRC and UNHCR
work with the Government Agent to provide temporary shelter
for all of the recently evacuated civilians. The ICRC
representative and the acting UNHCR representative were both
present and agreed to help.
2. (SBU) Ambassador asked about the status of the remaining
2,000 civilians and noted reports that food and medicine in
all likelihood had run out for them. He requested that the
ICRC and/or UNHCR be allowed access to determine the needs of
those civilians remaining. After consulting with the Defense
Secretary, Samarasinghe agreed to the request and asked the
SIPDIS
ICRC rep to work with the Government Agent to organize an
expert-level assessment team as soon as possible. The ICRC
agreed to do so. Samarasinghe also requested the Government
of Sri Lanka officials present to assess what might be needed
to enable all of these displaced civilians to return as
quickly as possible once the fighting had ceased.
3. (SBU) Comment: The evacuation of civilians and the
government's willingness to allow and ICRC assessment team
are both welcome and suggest that very few LTTE cadres remain
in the area. Embassy will continue to try to obtain whatever
information is available from defense sources on the military
situation there. More broadly, this was the first meeting of
the Consultative Committee since November. Embassy has been
pushing quietly to get these resumed as they are a unique
forum for the donors to discuss all the humanitarian issues
with both Samarasinghe and the Defense Secretary and get
immediate answers. By prior agreement with the other
Co-Chair Ambassadors, Ambassador will represent the Co-Chairs
at these biweekly meetings for the next several meetings at
least, after which Norway or Japan will take the lead.
BLAKE