Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COLOMBO1349
2007-10-01 11:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

DISCUSSION WITH PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ON

Tags:  PGOV EAID CE 
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VZCZCXYZ0020
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLM #1349/01 2741118
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 011118Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6896
INFO RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 5558
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4046
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1411
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 4102
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 1202
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3188
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 8014
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2345
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0640
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001349 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR A/S BOUCHER, P, F AND S/CRS
ALSO FOR INL/AAE, DRL/NESCA, PRM/ANE, STATE FOR SCA/INS,
USPACOM FOR FPA
DEPT PASS TO USAID/ANE, USAID/DC, USAID/CMM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV EAID CE
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION WITH PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ON
STABILIZATION AND RECONSTRUCTION IN EASTERN SRI LANKA

REF: A. COLOMBO 1208


B. COLOMBO 1318

Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001349

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR A/S BOUCHER, P, F AND S/CRS
ALSO FOR INL/AAE, DRL/NESCA, PRM/ANE, STATE FOR SCA/INS,
USPACOM FOR FPA
DEPT PASS TO USAID/ANE, USAID/DC, USAID/CMM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2017
TAGS: PGOV EAID CE
SUBJECT: DISCUSSION WITH PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ON
STABILIZATION AND RECONSTRUCTION IN EASTERN SRI LANKA

REF: A. COLOMBO 1208


B. COLOMBO 1318

Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Ambassador met on September 28 with Basil
Rajapaksa, the President's brother, senior political advisor,
and coordinator of the stabilization and reconstruction
program in the east, to discuss the opportunities and risks
in the east (reftels). Rajapaksa acknowledged the need to
stop illegal activities by Karuna. He asserted that District
Secretaries, Government Agents, and Provincial Councils are

SIPDIS
now managing all of the stabilization and reconstruction
efforts in the east and highlighted the appointment of
civil-military liaison officers for the districts of
Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara. He also stated that the
GSL is sensitive to Tamil and Muslim concerns of
Sinhalization in the east, will share its plans for the High
Security Zone south of Trincomalee with the World Bank and
other donors, and is consulting with NGO as well as Tamil and
Muslim community representatives on its overall development
plans for the east. (The GSL has yet to share any plans on
the east with donors.) A respected senior local NGO
representative later told us that Basil Rajapaksa has good
intentions, but lacks the experience to manage the
stabilization and reconstruction efforts in the east. The
NGO representative suggested to Basil that: a) NGOs and
international NGOs work on a plan for short and medium term
needs to complement the GSL's longer term infrastructure
plans; and b) the GSL ask the international community to fund
or detail an humanitarian expert to help Basil manage the
reconstruction effort. Both suggestions strike us as useful
ways to bring greater order and community as well as NGO
participation into a process that has thus far been a
top-down Colombo-centered effort. End summary.

Establish GSL Responsibility for Security, Reduce Role of
Military
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) The Ambassador opened by congratulating Basil on

his appointment as an MP. He asked about the veracity of
widespread rumors that the President now intended to appoint
him as Minister of Nation Building (a portfolio now held by
the President himself but already de-facto in Basil's hands).
Rajapaksa laughed and said that was up to the President.
Turning to substance, the Ambassador explained the
significant opportunity the GSL now has in the east, but also
the risks (reftels). Ambassador noted the importance of the
GSL assuming complete control for security in the east
stopping all illegal Karuna group activities and effecting an
orderly transition from military to civilian rule. He
described continuing reports the Embassy has received from
NGOs of looting and stealing by Karuna cadres, as well as
continued harassment of NGOs and the local population. Such
activities undercut the efforts of the Government to
stabilize the east. Rajapaksa did not dispute the
Ambassador's reports, but did note that the GSL is aware of
the problem and making efforts to stop illegal activities by
Karuna cadres.


3. (SBU) With respect to the wider challenge of transitioning
to civilian rule, Rajapaksa explained that the Members of
Parliament from the Tamil National Alliance and others who
complain about the role of the military dismiss the progress
that has been made. He complained that the TNA MPs never
come to the east and do not spend the allotments allocated to
them for local development projects so they do not know the
real situation and seek only to criticize. He asserted that
the government District Secretaries, Government Agents, and
Provincial Councils are now managing all of the stabilization
and reconstruction efforts in the east with the military
responsible only for security. He also pointed out that the

government had appointed civil military liaison officers for
the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara, whose
job was to liaise with local and international NGOs and
reduce obstacles to their operations. The Ambassador
welcomed the appointment of the civilian military liaison
officers and said that their names had been disseminated
widely in the NGO community. He told Rajapaksa candidly that
even though the overt military presence was indeed
diminishing, many retired military officers where being
chosen to fill civilian positions, so the military's
influence remains strong.

Avoid Steps that Alter Ethnic/Demographic Balance
and Consult Local Communities More
-------------- --------------


4. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that the Embassy continues to
receive reports from many sources that the government is
engaged in efforts to promote Sinhalization in Tamil and
Muslim areas in the East. He urged the GSL to consult with
Tamil and Muslim community leaders in the East on all of its
development plans, so that the reconstruction and development
process can be conducted in an inclusive and democratic
manner. Rajapaksa responded that the GSL is sensitive to the
fears of the Tamil and Muslim communities and does not seek
to promote policies that favor Sinhalese over the other two
communities. He said that he was hosting a meeting that very
afternoon with NGOs and international NGOs to discuss plans
for the East. Furthermore, the Government planned to have
tripartite consultations between the central government, NGO
representatives and local political representatives (Members
of Parliament, Provincial Councils, and local Pradeshiya
Sabhas) to review sectoral plans. (See para 6 below for
feedback on this first meeting that was held.)

Publicize Plans for Sampur High Security Zone
--------------


5. (SBU) The Ambassador urged the government to publicize
its plans for the high-security zone south of Trincomalee
explaining that there remains great anxiety in the NGO,
Tamil, and Muslim communities about the government's plans.
Rajapaksa stated that the people who originally lived in HSZ
areas should not be worried. The government is in the
process of resettling the original inhabitants. He noted,
however, that the government was reluctant to publish a plan
for fear that the LTTE would pressure local inhabitants not
to return. When pressed he said he would be willing to share
the plan on a confidential basis with the World Bank, EU, and
other donors who will be helping reconstruction efforts in
the area. On the sensitive question of how disputes over
land would be resolved, Rajapaksa said the GSL would make use
of local land registries, voter lists and lists maintained by
divisional secretaries of village inhabitants who had
received any kind of government benefits. If IDPs did not
have their own land titles, then these other records would
help to prove their land claims.

Meeting with NGOs
--------------


6. (SBU) Embassy subsequently contacted a respected senior
Sri Lankan NGO official for a readout of the meeting
Rajapaksa chaired on the afternoon of September 28 (para 4).
The official stated that Basil Rajapaksa has good intentions,
but neither he or any of his assistants are experienced in
development work and have not hired people that might be able
to help. He said that the meeting had consisted of
presentations from many of the 36 ministries working in the
East, but there was no integrated plan with the government's
overall strategy. The official said that he and other NGO
leaders had recommended several steps that would help.
First, they suggested that the government needs to
distinguish between short and medium term needs to help IDPs
and others restart livelihoods, and longer term plans. He
suggested that the international community work with NGOs and
international NGOs to develop a plan for short and medium
term needs, while the government focus on longer term
infrastructure and other needs. Rajapaksa agreed to both
suggestions. The World Bank and EU will be approached to see
if either or both can lead the first effort. The official
also suggested that Rajapaksa request the international
community to detail or fund a humanitarian expert to
Rajapaksa's office, both to advise him on the reconstruction
and stabilization process, and to help coordinate
consultations with NGOs and local representatives. Rajapaksa
will consider this suggestion.

Comment
--------------


7. (SBU) This was a useful meeting to discuss candidly with
Rajapaksa, the person most directly in charge of the East,
the concerns many have about the government's plans in the
east. As our NGO interlocutor stated, Rajapaksa appears to
have good intentions, but lacks the experience to manage this
important task alone. The suggestions to have NGOs and INGOs
work on a plan for short and medium term needs to complement
the GSL's longer term infrastructure plans, and hire an
experienced humanitarian expert, strike us as useful ways to
bring greater order and community as well as NGO
participation into a process that has thus far been a
top-down Colombo-centered effort.


BLAKE