SRI LANKA: GSL DENIES TRAVEL CLEARANCE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000603

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
MCC FOR S GROFF, D NASSIRY, E BURKE AND F REID

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: GSL DENIES TRAVEL CLEARANCE TO
NORWEGIAN AMBASSADOR AS BOMBING IN NORTH INTENSIFIES


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


1. (C) SUMMARY: On April 23, the Ministry of Defense denied
clearance for Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar to travel
to Kilinochchi for a previously scheduled, regular meeting
with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). On April
22 Associated Press correspondent Matthew Rosenberg (strictly
protect) returned from a five-day trip to Kilinochchi, during
which he met with various LTTE representatives. Rosenberg
reported that the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) carried out
regular aerial bombings, with artillery fire lasting
throughout each night of his stay. Despite informing the
military of his specific travel arrangements, the SLAF bombed
so close to Rosenberg during one excursion to see a destroyed
village that he was ultimately forced to abandon that portion
of his trip. Rosenberg stated LTTE cadres were rapidly
preparing for an "invasion" and that even the most humble
farmers had dug homemade bomb shelters behind their houses.
End Summary.

NORWEGIAN TRIP POSTPONED
--------------


2. (C) Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar told DCM and
Ambassador on April 22 that he had been asked to postpone a
planned, relatively routine trip to Kilinochchi the following
day. Brattskar told us that Foreign Secretary (and GSL Peace
Secretariat head) Palitha Kohona had contacted him, saying he

SIPDIS
was under instructions to tell Brattskar not to go to
Kilinochchi at this time because of unspecified security
concerns. Brattskar also said that that it was his
understanding that the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission had been
denied access to Mannar. The Norwegian Embassy told DCM on
April 23 that Brattskar would be in touch with the GSL to try
to reschedule the trip.


3. (C) One SLMM contact we were able to reach was unaware of
the proposed trip to Mannar, but noted that the crossing into
LTTE-held territory at Omanthai was insecure and closed
frequently because of rising tensions and outbreaks of
hostilities. He also pointed out that the Vavuniya-Mannar
highway had been "critical" from a security point of view at
least since the incursion by GSL forces in the vicinity of
Madhu Church in mid-March. (We have unconfirmed reports that
SLA casualties were quite high during this operation -- 51
dead and 171 wounded -- but the Defense Ministry has
apparently preferred to play down its losses in this
engagement.)

A RARE VISIT BY A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT TO THE NORTH
-------------- --------------


4. (C) AP reporter Matthew Rosenberg (strictly protect)
briefed poloff about his recent trip to Kilinochchi to meet
the LTTE. He stated that he heard aerial bombardment on a
regular basis throughout his five-day trip, and that
artillery fire lasted most of each night. This caused him to
wonder whether this was the beginning of new phase of the
government's military campaign against the Tigers. Although
Rosenberg was able to travel freely within certain areas of
LTTE-controlled territory, the LTTE refused to escort him to
some places Rosenberg visited during a previous trip to the
Tiger-controlled Vanni last year. For security reasons,
Rosenberg decided to travel with the Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission (SLMM) in an attempt to view a village the LTTE
claimed was destroyed by SLAF bombs. The village was located
adjacent to a Sea Tiger base Rosenberg had seen the year
before, but the LTTE refused him access to the area on this
trip. The SLMM informed the SLAF of their plans to examine
the village, but the SLAF continued bombing areas so close by

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that Rosenberg and the SLMM were forced to abandon that
portion of the trip.


5. (C) Rosenberg stated that the LTTE was obviously
preparing for war. Civilians throughout the area had dug
homemade bunkers, and LTTE cadres were building deep trenches
with large log bulwarks along A-9 highway. During
Rosenberg's trip last year there was an emphasis by the LTTE
on their "political side." However, during this trip, almost
everyone he met, other than civilians, were dressed in
military fatigues. (Note: The LTTE website Tamilnet is
reporting that more than 2000 soldiers from SLA "deep
penetration units" are massed along the Forward Defense Line
(FDL) in the Jaffna peninsula.)


6. (C) During Rosenberg's meetings with LTTE political
spokesman Tamilchelvan and military spokesman Ilanthirayan,
the Tigers emphasized their willingness to fight, the changes
they have made to appease international criticism and their
desire that the international community, "especially the
United States," harshly criticize the GSL for human rights
abuses and the destruction of the Ceasefire Agreement. When
Rosenberg pressed his interlocutor about their ability to
withstand a sustained military offensive "for two or three
years," the LTTE implied that they were resigned to continue
fighting, even if they lost control of territory. They did
not equate being driven from a particular area as defeat,
stating that they had lost territory in the past, only to
regain it later.


7. (C) COMMENT: Rosenberg's report tracks others that GSL
bombardment of LTTE targets in the north has escalated
significantly in recent days. Certainly the SLAF has been
trying to locate the LTTE's light planes and eliminate them
if possible. An Israeli-built unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
went down in the Mullaitivu area on April 20. Military
sources told us they were able to recover the UAV, but it is
not currently operational. The most likely explanation for
denying travel clearance to Brattskar is that the Defense
Ministry was concerned that he would not be safe during this
window. The evidence on whether the long-expected government
offensive in the north is imminent is contradictory. Some
observers feel it is more likely to come in early summer,
perhaps in June. However, no one -- least of all the Tigers
-- seems to doubt at this point that it is coming.
BLAKE