SRI LANKA: EMINENT PERSON DEVELOPS EYEWITNESS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000746 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (CLASSIFICATION CHANGED) SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS MCC FOR D NASSIRY AND E BURKE E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PTER MOPS PREL CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: EMINENT PERSON DEVELOPS EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY ON TRINCOMALEE KILLINGS REF: A. COLOMBO 742 ¶B. COLOMBO 563 ¶C. COLOMBO 525 ¶D. COLOMBO 511 ¶E. COLOMBO 402 ¶F. COLOMBO 290 AND PREVIOUS COLOMBO 00000746 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: In a May 21 meeting, U.S.-funded International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) Assistant David Savage told PolOff that a witness to the January 2006 killing of 5 youths in Trincomalee approached the United Kingdom's Eminent Person (EP) Sir Nigel Rodley in the UK with new information about the case. This witness, a doctor from Trincomalee, is the father of one of the young men that was killed. The witness claims that the Sri Lankan military and Special Task Force (STF) were involved in the incident and that he can identify the officers involved. In addition, there are disturbing links between the Trincomalee case and the Muttur case involving the killing of 17 Action Against Hunger workers. End Summary. ¶2. (S) In a May 21 meeting, U.S.-funded IIGEP Assistant David Savage told PolOff that a witness to the January 2006 killing of 5 youths in Trincomalee approached the United Kingdom's EP Sir Nigel Rodley in the UK with new information about the case. This witness, a doctor from Trincomalee, is the father of one of the young men that was killed. He left Sri Lanka shortly after the killing and is currently residing in the UK. ¶3. (S) According to the witness, on the day of the incident, five young men were gathered near the beach, in front of a statue located near a "T" intersection. About 500 meters north of the intersection is Fort Frederick, a military facility. About 25 meters away to the south and west are army checkpoints. Across the road to the east is the beach. A trishaw (three-wheeled taxi) driver passed through the western checkpoint, approached the men, and tossed a grenade at them. He then and drove up to and entered the Fort. Some, but not all, of the young men were killed by the grenade. One of the men, who was only injured, used his mobile phone to call his father (the witness). The father lived only a few hundred meters away and ran toward the scene, remaining on the phone with his son. He was stopped by officers at the southern checkpoint. A group of STF officers passed through the western checkpoint, dragged the young men across the road behind some trees and shot them. The father was only about 25 meters away at this point, but could not see his son because of the trees. He claims he heard the order being given over the radio to shoot the young men and he has identified the Special Task Force officer that gave the order. He can also identify the army officers at the checkpoints that day. Those officers would have been able to see and hear most, if not all, of the incident. He said he spoke to a second trishaw driver who claimed that he saw the first trishaw driver toss the grenade and continue to the Fort. That second trishaw driver, however, died within 48 hours of the incident. (Savage did not disclose the cause of death, but implied that it was suspicious.) ¶4. (S) There are alarming links between the Trincomalee case and the Muttur case involving the killing of 17 Action Against Hunger workers. The STF officer identified by this witness as ordering the deaths of the 5 young men is currently the Chief Investigator for the case in Muttur. Moreover, one of the victims in the Muttur case was the brother of one of the victims in the Trincomalee case. ¶5. (S) COMMENT: Despite the somewhat sluggish start of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) and the IIGEP, evidence in these COLOMBO 00000746 002.2 OF 002 cases is beginning to come to light. IIGEP is aware of other witnesses who have left Sri Lanka, and who may have similar information to share. Many of the key witnesses to these cases may in fact be overseas, since some of the victims have been from wealthy or influential families with the means to leave the country. While it is unlikely the Commission itself is aware at present of the existence of this witness or his evidence, the CoI has given a mandate to the Eminent Persons to collect such testimony on its behalf abroad (ref a). It is therefore probable that such testimony will eventually feed into the CoI process. BLAKE