Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COLOMBO1667
2007-12-14 11:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: FOREIGN SECRETARY COMPLAINS ABOUT U.S.
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001667
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, IO AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: FOREIGN SECRETARY COMPLAINS ABOUT U.S.
STATEMENT IN GENEVA
REF: A) COLOMBO 1652 B) COLOMBO 1656
Classified By: DCM James R. Moore. Reasons: 1.4 (b, d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001667
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, IO AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: FOREIGN SECRETARY COMPLAINS ABOUT U.S.
STATEMENT IN GENEVA
REF: A) COLOMBO 1652 B) COLOMBO 1656
Classified By: DCM James R. Moore. Reasons: 1.4 (b, d)
1. (C) DCM and Pol Chief were summoned by Foreign Secretary
Palitha Kohona on December 13 to discuss proceedings at the
Human Rights Council in Geneva. Kohona expressed the
government's objection to the U.S. delegation's statement in
support of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise
Arbour's efforts in Sri Lanka. Kohona criticized the
statement for citing "the rise in forced disappearances,"
noting that recent Red Cross figures showed a continued
decline in abductions in Sri Lanka through the third quarter
of 2007. Kohona also regretted that we had supported the
concept of an "expanded presence" of the office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights in Sri Lanka.
2. (C) Kohona noted that the atmosphere in the country was
strained and that nationalist Sinhalese groups with extreme
ideologies had enormous influence. He said that the
government had to manage these groups, for whom, given Sri
Lanka's colonial past, suggestions of international
monitoring were anathema. He asked again for patience,
noting that Sri Lanka had already taken certain steps to
address his human rights problems. As a poor country, Sri
Lanka had limited capacity to implement change and weak
institutions, he said, but told us that the government and
the country were "intrinsically inclined" to do the right
thing, given more time.
3. (C) DCM observed that Kohona appeared to be justifying
the refusal to accept international help to curb human rights
abuses based on the need to accommodate extremist groups.
This, he said, would be a "hard sell" in Washington and other
capitals. He pointed out that many efforts to help develop
Sri Lanka's national institutions had fallen short. Bodies
such as the Human Rights Commission and the Presidential
Commission of Inquiry had been unable to carry out their
mandates. For this reason, the U.S. and others thought that
an enhanced presence of the OHCHR was essential. DCM noted
that these positions of the U.S. were not new, but had been
reiterated by Ambassador, Assistant Secretary Boucher, and
other senior officials on several occasions.
4. (C) DCM deplored the recent harsh criticism of the work
of UN agencies by members of the government, nationalist
parliamentarians, and parts of the media, which, he noted,
was creating an increasingly difficult climate for essential
humanitarian operations (ref a). In one case, this had
resulted in the premature departure of a UN worker who was a
U.S. citizen. He urged the GSL to adopt a more constructive
and balanced tone. Kohona reiterated his argument that the
government had to consider the response of influential
nationalist elements.
5. (C) COMMENT: Post sees little in the U.S. statement in
response to High Commissioner Arbour's report that should
have surprised the Sri Lankan government. We are aware that
the ICRC has documented an encouraging recent trend in
abductions island-wide, but this is only part of the picture.
In other areas - especially the alarming increase in
extrajudicial killings in Jaffna - the situation appears to
have deteriorated as the internal political climate has
soured. The meeting with Kohona was frank, but cordial,
with both sides engaging in a substantive discussion of the
human rights situation and how to improve it. By contrast, a
recent speech by outgoing British High Commissioner Dominic
Chilcott and an EU statement on the recent abduction of
family members of Tamil parliamentarians (ref b) drew a sharp
and public response by the government. Embassy will continue
our constructive dialogue with the Foreign Ministry on Sir
Lanka's human rights problems. However, it will be difficult
to sustain recent improvements or address persistent, glaring
deficits in observance of human rights until we can persuade
Sri Lanka's security forces that the illegal and
COLOMBO 00001667 002 OF 002
inappropriate tactics they are employing in places like
Jaffna are actually counterproductive.
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, IO AND DRL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: FOREIGN SECRETARY COMPLAINS ABOUT U.S.
STATEMENT IN GENEVA
REF: A) COLOMBO 1652 B) COLOMBO 1656
Classified By: DCM James R. Moore. Reasons: 1.4 (b, d)
1. (C) DCM and Pol Chief were summoned by Foreign Secretary
Palitha Kohona on December 13 to discuss proceedings at the
Human Rights Council in Geneva. Kohona expressed the
government's objection to the U.S. delegation's statement in
support of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise
Arbour's efforts in Sri Lanka. Kohona criticized the
statement for citing "the rise in forced disappearances,"
noting that recent Red Cross figures showed a continued
decline in abductions in Sri Lanka through the third quarter
of 2007. Kohona also regretted that we had supported the
concept of an "expanded presence" of the office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights in Sri Lanka.
2. (C) Kohona noted that the atmosphere in the country was
strained and that nationalist Sinhalese groups with extreme
ideologies had enormous influence. He said that the
government had to manage these groups, for whom, given Sri
Lanka's colonial past, suggestions of international
monitoring were anathema. He asked again for patience,
noting that Sri Lanka had already taken certain steps to
address his human rights problems. As a poor country, Sri
Lanka had limited capacity to implement change and weak
institutions, he said, but told us that the government and
the country were "intrinsically inclined" to do the right
thing, given more time.
3. (C) DCM observed that Kohona appeared to be justifying
the refusal to accept international help to curb human rights
abuses based on the need to accommodate extremist groups.
This, he said, would be a "hard sell" in Washington and other
capitals. He pointed out that many efforts to help develop
Sri Lanka's national institutions had fallen short. Bodies
such as the Human Rights Commission and the Presidential
Commission of Inquiry had been unable to carry out their
mandates. For this reason, the U.S. and others thought that
an enhanced presence of the OHCHR was essential. DCM noted
that these positions of the U.S. were not new, but had been
reiterated by Ambassador, Assistant Secretary Boucher, and
other senior officials on several occasions.
4. (C) DCM deplored the recent harsh criticism of the work
of UN agencies by members of the government, nationalist
parliamentarians, and parts of the media, which, he noted,
was creating an increasingly difficult climate for essential
humanitarian operations (ref a). In one case, this had
resulted in the premature departure of a UN worker who was a
U.S. citizen. He urged the GSL to adopt a more constructive
and balanced tone. Kohona reiterated his argument that the
government had to consider the response of influential
nationalist elements.
5. (C) COMMENT: Post sees little in the U.S. statement in
response to High Commissioner Arbour's report that should
have surprised the Sri Lankan government. We are aware that
the ICRC has documented an encouraging recent trend in
abductions island-wide, but this is only part of the picture.
In other areas - especially the alarming increase in
extrajudicial killings in Jaffna - the situation appears to
have deteriorated as the internal political climate has
soured. The meeting with Kohona was frank, but cordial,
with both sides engaging in a substantive discussion of the
human rights situation and how to improve it. By contrast, a
recent speech by outgoing British High Commissioner Dominic
Chilcott and an EU statement on the recent abduction of
family members of Tamil parliamentarians (ref b) drew a sharp
and public response by the government. Embassy will continue
our constructive dialogue with the Foreign Ministry on Sir
Lanka's human rights problems. However, it will be difficult
to sustain recent improvements or address persistent, glaring
deficits in observance of human rights until we can persuade
Sri Lanka's security forces that the illegal and
COLOMBO 00001667 002 OF 002
inappropriate tactics they are employing in places like
Jaffna are actually counterproductive.
BLAKE