SRI LANKA: ARMY CAPTURES KILINOCHCHI; LTTE ANSWERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000003 DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018 TAGS: PREF MOPS PGOV CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: ARMY CAPTURES KILINOCHCHI; LTTE ANSWERS WITH ATTACK ON AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS REF: A. 07 COLOMBO 1161 ¶B. 07 COLOMBO 1079 ¶C. 07 COLOMBO 1042 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On the afternoon of January 2, President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced the much-delayed capture of Kilinochchi on state television. The fall of the LTTE's administrative capital follows a series of victories for the government on the Northern battlefield in the fall and early winter of 2008. Just an hour after the announcement, a suicide bomber killed an as-yet undetermined number of people outside the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Air Force in downtown Colombo. Early reports indicated at least two dead and as many as 30 injured. The loss of the LTTE's former capital Kilinochchi is a major defeat for the LTTE who will continue to fight on, and a political boon to the President who may leverage the victory to call for general elections in the coming months. The GSL has predicted the fall of Kilinochchi months ago but the LTTE mounted a stout defense. As government forces press in on the Tigers' remaining areas of control, we expect further guerilla attacks on military and economic targets in the South. Without a political solution that meets Tamil aspirations, however, we do not believe the GSL will be able to put an end to Sri Lanka's 25 year old conflict, because the LTTE will continue to be able to draw on funding from the Tamil diaspora and support within Sri Lanka. President Announces Victory -------------- ¶2. (U) President Rajapaksa went on national television on the afternoon of January 2 to announce that the Sri Lankan Army had captured Kilinochchi, the administrative capital of the LTTE to an assembled group of Government Ministers, Members of Parliament and military officials. The President urged Sri Lankans not to view the fall of the LTTE stronghold as a victory of the Sinhalese over the Tamils or of the South over the North but as a victory against terrorism. Rajapaksa praised the government forces and urged the remaining LTTE cadres to surrender. The President went on to pledge to meet the needs of the people of the North for generations to come. He asked the people of the country to give him a little more time to capture Mullaitivu, the last major town the Tigers control. Following the President's remarks, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka outlined the military's gains. Fonseka said that only a 40 by 40 kilometer strip of territory remains to be liberated. The President made no mention of the need for a political solution. ¶3. (C) The fall of Kilinochchi follows a series significant military victories over the course the autumn and early winter of 2008 that saw the government advance up the Northwestern coast of the island culminating in the capture of Pooneryn on November 17 (ref C). The Army then shifted east, capturing the important crossroads town of Paranthan just north of Kilinochchi on January 1. Embassy contacts reported that just prior to the fall of Paranthan, LTTE fighters departed Kilinochchi to retreat to positions further east. The Army now stands poised to cut off supply lines to the LTTE fighters in and north of Elephant Pass and make a concerted push on Mullaitivu from both the south and west. LTTE Pulls Out Its Fighters as Defeat Becomes Imminent -------------- ¶4. (C) The LTTE retreat from Kilinochchi followed their current strategy of engaging government forces only to withdraw after defeat became imminent. After intense fighting in recent weeks on the outskirts of Kilinochchi and a failed LTTE counterattack to halt the government's advance on Paranthan from Pooneryn, the Tigers withdrew their fighters from Kilinochchi during the night of December 31. With the entire Northwestern coast cut off, the loss of his administrative capital and calls on India to intervene falling short (ref B),Prabhkaran will not be able to hide the importance of Kilinochchi's loss to the remaining population of the Vanni or his all-important supporters in the diaspora. Little space is now left in the areas under LTTE control for future "strategic withdrawals" as the Tigers hope the worldwide economic crisis will undermine the GSL's ability to fund the war and destroy its strong political position with the Sinhalese public. A Late New Year's Present for Rajapaksa -------------- ¶4. (C) As left over New Year's fireworks went off throughout Colombo in celebration, President Rajapaksa's public announcement of Kilinochchi's capture strengthened his political position despite concerns about the budget deficit and the falling rupee. With provincial council elections due in mid-February, opposition contacts indicated that if the government chose to leverage the victory for political gain, snap general (e.g. parliamentary) elections might be called in April. (Waiting until April would guarantee generous state pensions to any serving Members of Parliament who lost their seat in the new election.) IDPs Remain an Embassy Concern -------------- ¶5. (C) Conditions for the 230,000 or more internally-displaced persons still living in the Tiger-controlled Vanni are likely to worsen in the coming weeks as government advances continue to encroach on areas where they have congregated. Post will continue to urge the government to allow UN and ICRC access to the IDP population and ensure that their basic needs are met. ¶6. (SBU) Embassy recommends the following if-asked press guidance. Begin Text The United States hopes that the military advances made by Government forces in recent months, including today's (apparent) recapturing of Kilinochchi, will help hasten an end to the 25-year old conflict. The United States continues to believe that the most important step the Government should take to end the conflict is a political solution that meets the aspirations of Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese. Without a political solution that will enable the Government to win the confidence of Tamils both in Sri Lanka and those that fund the LTTE from the diaspora, a conclusive military victory will be very difficult. End Text ¶7. (C) COMMENT: In recent interviews with Reuters and the BBC (ref A) LTTE Political Wing Chief Nadesan previewed LTTE guerilla attacks that he categorized as "defensive". In fact, just an hour after the President's address the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Air Force in downtown Colombo was bombed. Early reports indicated two deaths and as many as 30 civilians were injured in the attack. We expect similar incidents in the future as government forces press in on the Tigers in the North. While the government's victory in Kilinochchi is significant, the LTTE still retains the capability to inflict casualties at the front and throughout the country. In fact, Army Commander Fonseka indicated in the summer of 2008 that even if the government was able to secure the entire Vanni the LTTE could easily go underground with a residual force of 1000 and conduct hit and run attacks on the military for several years as it attempted to secure the Vanni. The Tigers' ability to transform themselves into an underground insurgent movement in the areas they formerly controlled is a central reason we will continue to press the government to engage on a political track. Without political negotiations with members of the Tamil community that enjoy respect and legitimacy, a lasting solution to Sri Lanka's 25 years old conflict will prove elusive, because the LTTE will continue to be able to draw on funding from the Tamil diaspora and support within Sri Lanka. End Comment. Blake