Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COLOMBO1708
2007-12-31 08:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: GOVERNMENT UPS WAR RHETORIC, FIGHTING
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C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001708
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
MCC FOR D NASSIRY AND E BURKE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: GOVERNMENT UPS WAR RHETORIC, FIGHTING
CONTINUES
REF: A. COLOMBO 1640
B. COLOMBO 1604
Classified By: DCM James R. Moore for reasons 1.4(b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001708
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
MCC FOR D NASSIRY AND E BURKE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: GOVERNMENT UPS WAR RHETORIC, FIGHTING
CONTINUES
REF: A. COLOMBO 1640
B. COLOMBO 1604
Classified By: DCM James R. Moore for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (C) Summary. In late December, Sri Lanka's Defense
Secretary, Prime Minister, and Army Commander spoke out
SIPDIS
confidently on the GSL's prospects of defeating the LTTE
militarily. Meanwhile, heavy fighting continued in several
areas in the North. The GSL's statements and actions confirm
its commitment to pursuing a military strategy to deal with
the LTTE. End Summary.
GSL Confidently Endorses War
--------------
2. (C) Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the Daily
News on December 29 that "The ceasefire agreement exists only
on paper...It has become a joke. I think the most sensible
thing is that we must end this ceasefire agreement by
officially declaring that there is no ceasefire agreement."
He added that the LTTE should be formally banned. The same
day, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka, addressing an
awards ceremony for inventors, said the country "can
anticipate...2008 as the year in which the terrorists will be
comprehensively defeated and totally eliminated." He said
the terrorists are "confined only to a limited area and are
destined to be totally wiped out in the coming year." On
December 30, Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka told the
media that "the LTTE could not prevent losing their remaining
3000 cadres and there is no assurance that the LTTE leader V.
Prabhakaran would survive for the next six months as the Sri
Lanka Air Force plans to attack all the LTTE bases." He
added that "our daily target is to kill at least 10 LTTE
terrorists. We have weakened the LTTE by 50 percent or more
and we are confident that we can go that extra mile in the
coming year."
Heavy Fighting Continues in the North
--------------
3. (C) Government troops and Tigers engaged in several
battles over the weekend. Security forces captured part of
Parappaankandal village near Mannar on Saturday, and faced an
LTTE counter-attack on Sunday. According to the military
spokesman, 33 LTTE cadres were killed in that battle and in a
separate clash in Mannar district. Six government soldiers
were wounded, according to the defense ministry, but the
Tigers claim to have killed 20. The two sides also clashed
in Vavuniya district on Sunday. On December 28, Sri Lankan
Air Force jets attacked an LTTE "coordinating center for
international activities" in Kilinochchi.
4. (C) On December 26, the Sri Lankan Navy and the Sea
Tigers clashed off the coast of Mannar District, south of
Delft Island. According to the Navy, 19 LTTE boats and one
SLN fast attack craft were sunk. At least 11 SLN sailors
were killed. Navy contacts say the battle was a cover for an
LTTE re-supply mission at Vidattaltiva, which was completed
successfully.
5. (C) COMMENT: These recent public statements by
high-level GSL officials underscore the Government's resolve
to pursue a military solution to the ethnic conflict. The
latest attacks track with the President's statement to
Ambassador earlier this month (ref a) that the GSL would
"keep the pressure on the LTTE." Post will continue to urge
senior officials to be at least as diligent in searching for
a lasting political solution.
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
MCC FOR D NASSIRY AND E BURKE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: GOVERNMENT UPS WAR RHETORIC, FIGHTING
CONTINUES
REF: A. COLOMBO 1640
B. COLOMBO 1604
Classified By: DCM James R. Moore for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (C) Summary. In late December, Sri Lanka's Defense
Secretary, Prime Minister, and Army Commander spoke out
SIPDIS
confidently on the GSL's prospects of defeating the LTTE
militarily. Meanwhile, heavy fighting continued in several
areas in the North. The GSL's statements and actions confirm
its commitment to pursuing a military strategy to deal with
the LTTE. End Summary.
GSL Confidently Endorses War
--------------
2. (C) Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the Daily
News on December 29 that "The ceasefire agreement exists only
on paper...It has become a joke. I think the most sensible
thing is that we must end this ceasefire agreement by
officially declaring that there is no ceasefire agreement."
He added that the LTTE should be formally banned. The same
day, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka, addressing an
awards ceremony for inventors, said the country "can
anticipate...2008 as the year in which the terrorists will be
comprehensively defeated and totally eliminated." He said
the terrorists are "confined only to a limited area and are
destined to be totally wiped out in the coming year." On
December 30, Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka told the
media that "the LTTE could not prevent losing their remaining
3000 cadres and there is no assurance that the LTTE leader V.
Prabhakaran would survive for the next six months as the Sri
Lanka Air Force plans to attack all the LTTE bases." He
added that "our daily target is to kill at least 10 LTTE
terrorists. We have weakened the LTTE by 50 percent or more
and we are confident that we can go that extra mile in the
coming year."
Heavy Fighting Continues in the North
--------------
3. (C) Government troops and Tigers engaged in several
battles over the weekend. Security forces captured part of
Parappaankandal village near Mannar on Saturday, and faced an
LTTE counter-attack on Sunday. According to the military
spokesman, 33 LTTE cadres were killed in that battle and in a
separate clash in Mannar district. Six government soldiers
were wounded, according to the defense ministry, but the
Tigers claim to have killed 20. The two sides also clashed
in Vavuniya district on Sunday. On December 28, Sri Lankan
Air Force jets attacked an LTTE "coordinating center for
international activities" in Kilinochchi.
4. (C) On December 26, the Sri Lankan Navy and the Sea
Tigers clashed off the coast of Mannar District, south of
Delft Island. According to the Navy, 19 LTTE boats and one
SLN fast attack craft were sunk. At least 11 SLN sailors
were killed. Navy contacts say the battle was a cover for an
LTTE re-supply mission at Vidattaltiva, which was completed
successfully.
5. (C) COMMENT: These recent public statements by
high-level GSL officials underscore the Government's resolve
to pursue a military solution to the ethnic conflict. The
latest attacks track with the President's statement to
Ambassador earlier this month (ref a) that the GSL would
"keep the pressure on the LTTE." Post will continue to urge
senior officials to be at least as diligent in searching for
a lasting political solution.
BLAKE