Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08COLOMBO637
2008-07-02 10:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: LARGE SEARCH OF TAMILS IN COLOMBO
how-toVZCZCXRO8010 OO RUEHBI RUEHLMC DE RUEHLM #0637 1841036 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 021036Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8355 INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0978 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 7967 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 6139 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 4465 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2137 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 4436 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3536 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 8573 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6018 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0698 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2842 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
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000637
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM ASEC CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: LARGE SEARCH OF TAMILS IN COLOMBO
Classified By: Acting DCM Maria E. Brewer REASONS: 1.4(b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000637
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM ASEC CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: LARGE SEARCH OF TAMILS IN COLOMBO
Classified By: Acting DCM Maria E. Brewer REASONS: 1.4(b,d).
1. (C) On July 2, in an early morning operation Sri Lankan
army, police, and STF forces cordoned off and searched
Kimbula Ela, a predominantly Tamil area of Colombo.
According to an Embassy mail room employee who lives in the
area, 800 people (including the Embassy employee) were told
to leave their homes and line up in a nearby outdoor
playground. The police then asked each person to hand over
their identification. Each of the 800 residents were called
forward individually and placed in front of a video camera.
According to RSO FSN's police contacts the search came after
an individual recently arrested confessed that he was one
member of a 20 member team of LTTE suicide bombers intent on
attacking military and government targets prior to the SAARC
Summit July 27th - August 3rd. Local think tank Centre for
Policy Alternatives reported they are considering filing a
fundamental rights case in court to challenge the
government's tactics.
2. (C) COMMENT: The scope of the search and the removal of
the local population from their homes represents an
escalation in tactics by the government which normally allows
residents to stay in their homes when an area is searched.
During a meeting with DAS Feigenbaum on June 30, Defense
Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa previewed such tactics, arguing
that while all Tamils aren't terrorists, close to all
terrorists are Tamils. He added that even though such
tactics might look like ethnic profiling to the international
community it was justified in the Sri Lankan context where
the GSL faced an adversary like the LTTE that didn't play by
established rules. The raid and the tactics used are likely
a reflection of the growing concern on the part of the
government that the LTTE will try to tarnish Sri Lanka's
image by staging an attack just prior to the Colombo SAARC
Summit later this month.
MOORE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM ASEC CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: LARGE SEARCH OF TAMILS IN COLOMBO
Classified By: Acting DCM Maria E. Brewer REASONS: 1.4(b,d).
1. (C) On July 2, in an early morning operation Sri Lankan
army, police, and STF forces cordoned off and searched
Kimbula Ela, a predominantly Tamil area of Colombo.
According to an Embassy mail room employee who lives in the
area, 800 people (including the Embassy employee) were told
to leave their homes and line up in a nearby outdoor
playground. The police then asked each person to hand over
their identification. Each of the 800 residents were called
forward individually and placed in front of a video camera.
According to RSO FSN's police contacts the search came after
an individual recently arrested confessed that he was one
member of a 20 member team of LTTE suicide bombers intent on
attacking military and government targets prior to the SAARC
Summit July 27th - August 3rd. Local think tank Centre for
Policy Alternatives reported they are considering filing a
fundamental rights case in court to challenge the
government's tactics.
2. (C) COMMENT: The scope of the search and the removal of
the local population from their homes represents an
escalation in tactics by the government which normally allows
residents to stay in their homes when an area is searched.
During a meeting with DAS Feigenbaum on June 30, Defense
Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa previewed such tactics, arguing
that while all Tamils aren't terrorists, close to all
terrorists are Tamils. He added that even though such
tactics might look like ethnic profiling to the international
community it was justified in the Sri Lankan context where
the GSL faced an adversary like the LTTE that didn't play by
established rules. The raid and the tactics used are likely
a reflection of the growing concern on the part of the
government that the LTTE will try to tarnish Sri Lanka's
image by staging an attack just prior to the Colombo SAARC
Summit later this month.
MOORE