SRI LANKA: PDAS MANN URGES FOREIGN SECRETARY TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000414 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/INS MCC FOR S GROFF, D NASSIRY, E BURKE AND F REID E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PTER CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: PDAS MANN URGES FOREIGN SECRETARY TO PRODUCE DEVOLUTION PROPOSAL AND ADDRESS HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROBERT O. BLAKE, JR. FOR REASONS 1.4(b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: PDAS Mann, accompanied by Ambassador Blake, met Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona on March 10 to press the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) to put forward a viable devolution proposal and to address human rights concerns. Kohona acknowledged the need to do more, but said constraints such as resource limitations, lack of admissible evidence, and resistance from the perpetrators all made it difficult to curb the problems. PDAS Mann suggested administrative remedies such as demotions or relief of commanders in areas with reports of numerous disappearances. He added that Sri Lanka's human rights climate is in the international spotlight and subject to increasing scrutiny by the U.S. executive branch. Kohona said his government is committed to resolving human rights problems and will offer a strong devolution proposal aimed at enfranchising the Tamil community. End summary. POTENTIAL FOR SOUTHERN CONSENSUS; GSL PLANS FOR DEVOLUTION PROPOSAL -------------- ¶2. (C) On March 10, PDAS Mann, accompanied by Ambassador Blake, met Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona and urged the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) to seize the current opportunity to produce a strong devolution proposal and to address human rights concerns. Kohona noted that PresidentRajapaksa had spent "thirty years waiting to be preident," most of that time in the opposition. Raapaksa began his career as a human rights activit and he will not sacrifice his hard-earned repuation, Kohona said. He added that the presidentnow has the support of 119 out of 225 parliamentaians and is solidifying the southern support base he patiently built up, thanks to recent military ictories. Rajapaksa needs the support of the oppsition United National Party (UNP) to gain the to-thirds majority in parliament needed to pass an amendment to the constitution, Kohona concluded. ¶3. (C) PDAS Mann responded that it is admirablethat the president is working to create a southen consensus. He stated that with the UNP's current favorable inclination toward a peace platform, U.S. and international support for peace, and the split of the Karuna faction from the Liberation Tigers of Eelam (LTTE),there is now an unusual window of opportunity in the peace process. Absent a lasting political solution, Mann said, war could go on in Sri Lanka for another thirty years. Kohona agreed, saying, "We don't want to see war for another thirty years, or even another year." ¶4. (C) PDAS Mann asked about progress in the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) convened to develop power-sharing proposals to address the ethnic conflict. Kohona replied that the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will have a set of proposals ready for the APRC the week of March 12; these will address the needs of the Tamil community writ large rather than focusing on the LTTE, he added. He said that when he traveled overseas, he was gratified that the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora made efforts to meet with him. He reported that the representatives of these communities asked that the government of Sri Lanka (GSL) offer proposals strong enough to give them the courage to oppose war. PDAS Mann posited that a proposal with the international Tamil community's support could assist the GSL by bolstering international counter-insurgency efforts. CoI AND IIGEP TO INVESTIGATE COLOMBO 00000414 002 OF 003 HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES -------------- ¶5. (C) "Things seem to be going backward, with human rights still a concern," PDAS Mann said. Kohona answered that the GSL is aware of the problem and wants to address it, and the presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) may prove useful. Kohona objected to the public lumping of all human rights abuses together and failing to disaggregate disappearances by perpetrators such as the LTTE or Karuna group as opposed to the GSL. He quickly added, however, that if the GSL was responsible for even a small number of disappearances, it was completely unacceptable and the government would take steps to curb the problem. ¶6. (C) PDAS Mann asked that the Foreign Ministry use its influence to provide the Independent International Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP),which was formed to assist the presidential CoI, with the necessary stature and immunity to function. Ambassador Blake suggested that diplomatic or official visas would be especially helpful. Kohona confirmed that IIGEP members would qualify for diplomatic visas based on their senior status. He thought, however, that the IIGEP should do most of its work behind the scenes and stay "out of the headlines." PDAS MANN PRESSES GSL TO ADDRESS HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS -------------- ¶7. (C) Kohona said he had read the report from the Australian team that investigated the murder of seventeen local employees of the French NGO ACF (Action Against Hunger),and as a lawyer, he didn't think there was sufficient evidence to mount a court case. PDAS Mann said practical administrative remedies could offer "fixes." For example, in the face of evidentiary difficulties, alternatives could include demotion or relief of commanders, or public statements. He reiterated that the GSL needs to pursue prosecutions and improve accountability. If there are reports of numerous disappearances in an area, perhaps the military commander there is not effective, he said. The human rights environment in Sri Lanka is a rising concern in the U.S. Congress and within the executive branch, PDAS Mann stated. ¶8. (C) PDAS Mann told Kohona that he knows the Foreign Ministry understands the international community's concerns, but added that if the GSL as a whole conducts reviews that never establish government responsibility for human rights violations, such assessments come across as unduly biased. PDAS Mann said, "It strains credulity to state that the Karuna group is not working with the Sri Lankan government. The U.S. remains a strong friend to Sri Lanka, but it is not credible to us if there's no full look inward at the problems." Kohona responded that investigations must be conducted within a proper legal framework. Ambassador Blake urged the GSL to indicate the number of investigations resulting in convictions, rather than providing the number of arrests for human rights violations. ¶9. (C) Ambassador Blake noted that the human rights situation is opaque, with the LTTE, Karuna group, other paramilitaries such as the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP),and GSL forces all acting in some areas. He encouraged the GSL to respond to public concerns, notify next of kin in the case of arrests, and take efforts to clarify the reasons for government actions. Kohona said the GSL had appointed a High Court judge to investigate disappearances and said the public could go to him with concerns. COLOMBO 00000414 003 OF 003 HUMAN RIGHTS LINKED TO PEACE PROCESS -------------- ¶10. (C) PDAS Mann said human rights are inter-linked to the success of the peace process. Kohona responded, "I agree with you. This is not an issue we need to be distracted with." He said he does not know why the GSL has been unable to resolve human rights concerns, but guessed it was a combination of limited resources and stubborn resistance from the perpetrators. Kohona said, "I shouldn't have to address the issue of disappearances with foreign governments every time I travel abroad." ¶11. (C) Kohona added, "Human rights are very important to us. We may be struggling, but we are still very democratic and we're working to address the problems. We know, and you know, that no military solution is possible, though some elements of the government disagree. Our proposals will be aimed at the Tamil community at large. There are no military victories against terrorists of this nature; we need victory at the negotiating table. You may see shellings and bombings, but these are only aimed at convincing the LTTE they can't win militarily and must negotiate." ¶12. (C) PDAS Mann said that in the assessment of Pentagon analysts, a decisive military solution was probably not within reach. While the LTTE, and its leader Prabhakaran in particular, is difficult to deal with, there are some issues within the GSL's control. The government can put together a solution that will resonate with the Tamil people and broader majority community, PDAS Mann added. He said, "This is a rare moment, and the government's power-sharing proposal should be equal to it." ¶13. (C) Kohona expressed frustration that the LTTE had failed to cooperate in negotiations in the past. However, he said with the APRC process under way, the President can effectively deliver the south and undermine LTTE accusations of southern intransigence. PDAS Mann said if the GSL delivers a broad, effective devolution proposal, it will be better better placed to leverage its long-standing friendship with the U.S. Kohona agreed, and offered thanks to the U.S. for its support and cooperation over many years. COMMENT -------------- ¶14. (C) Kohona's comments about pitching the devolution proposal to the Tamil community, rather than to the LTTE, are encouraging. However, as long as persistent human rights abuses engender a climate of fear and distrust, it will be difficult to convince Tamils to turn toward the GSL. Kohona and new Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama both acknowledge that the GSL must address that problem. ¶15. (SBU) This cable has been approved by PDAS Mann. BLAKE