SRI LANKA: TENSION IN THE TMVP: KARUNA AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000695 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TENSION IN THE TMVP: KARUNA AND PILLAIYAN MEET; DEFENSE SECRETARY OUTLINES SHIFT OF TMVP TO ARMY, POLICE AND HOME GUARDS REF: A. COLOMBO 654 ¶B. 07 COLOMBO 1526 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On July 12 in Colombo, Karuna and Pillaiyan held their first face to face meeting since Karuna's return to the country July 3. The TMVP spokesman characterized the meeting positively, yet two days later Karuna appeared in Batticaloa unannounced causing deep concern for Pillaiyan and his advisors who stated to POLOFF that any goodwill had been ruined by the surprise visit. Defense Secretary Rajapaksa confirmed to Ambassador on July 18 strains in the Pillaiyan-Karuna relationship and reported plans to move TMVP cadres into the Army, Police and Home Guards. Tension between the two TMVP factions is significant and Pillaiyan's concern over Karuna's intentions in the East will remain a significant distraction from his work as Chief Minister. End Summary ¶2. (U) On July 12 Vinayakamurthi Muralitharan, alias Karuna Amman, met Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chadrakanthan, alias Pillaiyan, for the first time since the former's deportation from the UK on July 3 (Ref A). Pillaiyan, Karuna's former deputy, had taken over control of Karuna's TMVP party and its armed cadres during the former leader's detention in Britain. Prior to the meeting Pillaiyan had publicly stated that there was no tension between the two and he was willing to give up both his leadership of the TMVP as well as the Chief Minister (CM) position if Karuna wanted either. Following the meeting TMVP spokesman Azath Moulana announced that Karuna would resume leadership of the TMVP while Pillaiyan would remain CM in the Eastern Province and deputy leader of the party. Moulana went on to insist that, despite speculation that there was tension between the two, there was no conflict within the TMVP and that Karuna intended to compete as a TMVP candidate in the next parliamentary elections. ¶3. (C) Two days later POLOFF received a call from Pillaiyan's private secretary Raghu Nanthagopan (protect),who reported that Karuna had returned to Batticaloa that morning without first informing Pillaiyan. Karuna, at the time of the call, was in a TMVP office and according to Nanthagopan was being protected by the Sri Lankan military in tanks. Pillaiyan's private secretary reported that any good will that was built up between the two was destroyed because Karuna had not informed Pillaiyan of his arrival. (Note: Pillaiyan was in Batticaloa at the time. End note) Pol FSN's contacts in the NGO community in Batticaloa reported that the general situation in the city was calm despite Nanthagopan's claims that people were "panicking." ¶4. (C) In a follow up conversation on July 15 Nanthagopan reported that Karuna had asked Pillaiyan to come meet him at the TMVP office in Batticaloa on the 14th but Pillaiyan refused, instead returning to Trincomalee. Pillaiyan expressed his displeasure at Karuna's unannounced visit directly to the Ministry of Defense in Colombo, which told him that Karuna had indicated to them that he was going to Batticaloa to visit his mother and had asked for protection. Karuna left Batticaloa July 16. ¶5. (C) In a July 18 meeting with Ambassador, Secretary of Defense Gothabaya Rajapaksa recounted his attendance at the July 12th meeting and confirmed strains in the Karuna-Pillaiyan relationship. Rajapaksa also confirmed that Karuna would like to become an MP and denied rumors that he would lead troops in the Vanni against the LTTE. He outlined a plan to shift 200 of the estimated 750 TMVP cadres into the army, with the remaining cadres receiving training and either entering the police force, home guard units or reintegrating into civilian life. Ambassador discouraged Rajapaksa from COLOMBO 00000695 002 OF 002 recruiting TMVP into the Poice. Given their record of extortion and other llegal activities, their integration would underine the integrity of the Police and public faithin it. (Note: Raghu and fellow Pillaiyan advisor D. Vigneswaran reported to POLOFF earlier of the C's strong preference that TMVP cadres move to th police force instead of the army, since the 13t Amendment --if implemented-- would grant the CM police powers. Pillaiyan would lose operational control of any cadres who join the army. End Note) ¶6. (C) COMMENT: From Nanthagopan's tone it was clear Pillaiyan and his closest advisors, despite public statements to the contrary, are worried and suspicious of Karuna's intentions in the East. His arrival, unannounced and surrounded by significant military protection, would have only added to those fears. Post had already heard multiple reports that the lack of progress on child soldiers has been in part due to certain TMVP sub-commanders in Batticaloa remaining loyal to Karuna and ignoring Pillaiyan's instructions on the issue. (Note: UNICEF Chief Philippe Duamelle reported to POLOFF on July 14 that it was too early to tell how Karuna's return would affect further child soldier releases. End Note). Karuna, even after his departure from Batticaloa, will continue to be a source of concern for the CM and a distraction from the development and stabilization focus of the new Eastern Province institutions. BLAKE