Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07COLOMBO746
2007-05-23 12:19:00
SECRET
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: EMINENT PERSON DEVELOPS EYEWITNESS
how-toVZCZCXRO9840 OO RUEHBI RUEHLMC DE RUEHLM #0746/01 1431219 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 231219Z MAY 07 CCY FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6103 INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0421 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0130 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 7111 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 5206 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3770 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0990 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 3842 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 2921 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 7697 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 5376 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2064 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION PRIORITY
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).
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
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