Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO402
2009-04-07 11:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 48
how-toO 071139Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9770 INFO AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BANGKOK AMEMBASSY DHAKA AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI AMEMBASSY OSLO AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMCONSUL CHENNAI AMCONSUL MUMBAI AMCONSUL TORONTO USEU BRUSSELS USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION GENEVA HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI DIA WASHINGTON DC NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC SECDEF WASHDC CDRUSARPAC FT SHAFTER HI//APCW/APOP// CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J3/J332/J52//
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000402
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR SCA (BOUCHER),SCA/INS AND PRM
STATE ALSO PASS USAID
AID/W FOR ANE/SCA, DCHA/FFP (DWORKEN, KSHEIN)
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA (MORRISP, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, RKERR)
ATHENS FOR PCARTER
BANGKOK FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA (WBERGER)
KATHMANDU FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA AND POL (SBERRY)
GENEVA FOR RMA (NKYLOH, NHILGERT, MPITOTTI)
USUN NEW YORK FOR ECOSOC (D MERCADO)
SECDEF FOR OSD - POLICY
PACOM ALSO FOR J-5
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF MOPS PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CE
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 48
Ref: A) Colombo 401 B) Colombo 400 C) Colombo 396 D) Colombo 393
E) Colombo 384 F) Colombo 374 G) Colombo 368 H) Colombo 361 I)
Colombo 360 J) Colombo 357 K) Colombo 351
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000402
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR SCA (BOUCHER),SCA/INS AND PRM
STATE ALSO PASS USAID
AID/W FOR ANE/SCA, DCHA/FFP (DWORKEN, KSHEIN)
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA (MORRISP, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, RKERR)
ATHENS FOR PCARTER
BANGKOK FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA (WBERGER)
KATHMANDU FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA AND POL (SBERRY)
GENEVA FOR RMA (NKYLOH, NHILGERT, MPITOTTI)
USUN NEW YORK FOR ECOSOC (D MERCADO)
SECDEF FOR OSD - POLICY
PACOM ALSO FOR J-5
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF MOPS PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CE
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 48
Ref: A) Colombo 401 B) Colombo 400 C) Colombo 396 D) Colombo 393
E) Colombo 384 F) Colombo 374 G) Colombo 368 H) Colombo 361 I)
Colombo 360 J) Colombo 357 K) Colombo 351
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: According to the UN, 14,166 civilians have been
killed or wounded in fighting between January 20 and April 6. The
majority of those casualties have occurred in GSL-declared safe
zones. The military announced the launch of an operation to free
thousands of civilians. UNSR Kalin released a statement
highlighting the extraordinary measures needed to meet the needs of
existing and future IDPs. End Summary.
14,166 Civilians Killed and Wounded Since January 20
-------------- --------------
2. (SBU) U.N. staff provided an update to their civilian casualty
numbers to POL section on April 7. (Note: The U.N. does not intend
to release this information so figures should not be publicly
attributed to the U.N.) From January 20 to April 6 the U.N. reports
that 4,164 civilians have been killed and 10,002 have been wounded.
The average rate of killed was 33/day in January and 63/day in
February and March. The average wounded rate per day was 184 in
January, 145 in February and 115 in March. The U.N.'s sources still
in Vanni include Regional Directors of Health Services, Catholic
clergy, the Assistant Government Agent and 213 national staff of
international NGOs. (These also should be protected.) Post
considers the figures a credible minimum count of casualties in
areas still under LTTE control. Of these totals 411 civilians under
18 have been killed and 1436 under 18 have been injured.
Majority of Casualties in Safe Zones
--------------
3. (SBU) The U.N. disaggregates their data for casualties inside and
outside the safe zone. The U.N. figures document 860 killed and
3,339 injured in the original safe zone north of the A35 highway.
These figures include 23 children killed and 345 injured. Since the
declaration of the second (and current) no fire zone along the
northeast coast of Mullaitivu on February 12 the U.N. figures
document 2,452 civilians killed and 4,941 wounded. U.N. sources
still in the safe zone report daily shelling of the safe zone as
well as occasional aerial bombardment.
GSL Launches Military Operation to Free Civilians
-------------- --------------
4. (U) The military announced it was launching a "defensive tactical
manoeuvre" in "the thin 17 sq km coastal land strip at Mullaitivu"
to free thousands of trapped civilians today (April 7). Dubbing the
move "the largest humanitarian intervention by a conventional
military force in modern times," the announcement did not specify
the exact location of the operation, specifically whether it was
occurring inside or adjacent the safe zone. Defense Secretary
Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Bogollagama have assured Ambassador
on separate occasions that the military would not forcibly enter the
zone. DAO is seeking clarification from military sources on the
location of the operation. Embassy will report further information
septel when it is available.
Kalin Issues Statement Following Visit
--------------
5. (SBU) Special Rapporteur for IDPs Walter Kalin visited Sri Lanka
April 3-7 to keep up U.N. pressure on the GSL to improve
humanitarian conditions for IDPs, in part to help pressure the LTTE
to release civilians trapped in the safe zone. In a statement
issues at the end of the visit, Kalin noted that extraordinary
measures will be needed to meet the needs of the existing IDPs and
those expected to come from the safe zone, but welcomed some
incremental steps the GSL has taken and its willingness to work with
timetables for screening of IDPs, enhancing freedom of movement from
the camps, and facilitating return/resettlement. Full readout of
the visit reported Ref A.
LTTE Conscription of Children
--------------
6. (SBU) The Bishop of Mannar reported to Ambassador that a Catholic
Priest had been sheltering up to 400 children in his church within
the safe zone. The priest was attempting to protect the children,
mostly teenagers, from forcible recruitment by the LTTE. When the
Tigers found out about the teenagers hiding they broke into the
church, apprehended them and forced them into service.
Civilian Casualties and IDP Outflow
--------------
7. (SBU) Information was not available from Tamil sources from
within the LTTE-controlled area on civilian casualties on April 6.
The Defense Ministry reported 69 civilians had reached government
territory on April 6.
BLAKE
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR SCA (BOUCHER),SCA/INS AND PRM
STATE ALSO PASS USAID
AID/W FOR ANE/SCA, DCHA/FFP (DWORKEN, KSHEIN)
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA (MORRISP, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, RKERR)
ATHENS FOR PCARTER
BANGKOK FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA (WBERGER)
KATHMANDU FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA AND POL (SBERRY)
GENEVA FOR RMA (NKYLOH, NHILGERT, MPITOTTI)
USUN NEW YORK FOR ECOSOC (D MERCADO)
SECDEF FOR OSD - POLICY
PACOM ALSO FOR J-5
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF MOPS PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CE
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 48
Ref: A) Colombo 401 B) Colombo 400 C) Colombo 396 D) Colombo 393
E) Colombo 384 F) Colombo 374 G) Colombo 368 H) Colombo 361 I)
Colombo 360 J) Colombo 357 K) Colombo 351
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: According to the UN, 14,166 civilians have been
killed or wounded in fighting between January 20 and April 6. The
majority of those casualties have occurred in GSL-declared safe
zones. The military announced the launch of an operation to free
thousands of civilians. UNSR Kalin released a statement
highlighting the extraordinary measures needed to meet the needs of
existing and future IDPs. End Summary.
14,166 Civilians Killed and Wounded Since January 20
-------------- --------------
2. (SBU) U.N. staff provided an update to their civilian casualty
numbers to POL section on April 7. (Note: The U.N. does not intend
to release this information so figures should not be publicly
attributed to the U.N.) From January 20 to April 6 the U.N. reports
that 4,164 civilians have been killed and 10,002 have been wounded.
The average rate of killed was 33/day in January and 63/day in
February and March. The average wounded rate per day was 184 in
January, 145 in February and 115 in March. The U.N.'s sources still
in Vanni include Regional Directors of Health Services, Catholic
clergy, the Assistant Government Agent and 213 national staff of
international NGOs. (These also should be protected.) Post
considers the figures a credible minimum count of casualties in
areas still under LTTE control. Of these totals 411 civilians under
18 have been killed and 1436 under 18 have been injured.
Majority of Casualties in Safe Zones
--------------
3. (SBU) The U.N. disaggregates their data for casualties inside and
outside the safe zone. The U.N. figures document 860 killed and
3,339 injured in the original safe zone north of the A35 highway.
These figures include 23 children killed and 345 injured. Since the
declaration of the second (and current) no fire zone along the
northeast coast of Mullaitivu on February 12 the U.N. figures
document 2,452 civilians killed and 4,941 wounded. U.N. sources
still in the safe zone report daily shelling of the safe zone as
well as occasional aerial bombardment.
GSL Launches Military Operation to Free Civilians
-------------- --------------
4. (U) The military announced it was launching a "defensive tactical
manoeuvre" in "the thin 17 sq km coastal land strip at Mullaitivu"
to free thousands of trapped civilians today (April 7). Dubbing the
move "the largest humanitarian intervention by a conventional
military force in modern times," the announcement did not specify
the exact location of the operation, specifically whether it was
occurring inside or adjacent the safe zone. Defense Secretary
Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Bogollagama have assured Ambassador
on separate occasions that the military would not forcibly enter the
zone. DAO is seeking clarification from military sources on the
location of the operation. Embassy will report further information
septel when it is available.
Kalin Issues Statement Following Visit
--------------
5. (SBU) Special Rapporteur for IDPs Walter Kalin visited Sri Lanka
April 3-7 to keep up U.N. pressure on the GSL to improve
humanitarian conditions for IDPs, in part to help pressure the LTTE
to release civilians trapped in the safe zone. In a statement
issues at the end of the visit, Kalin noted that extraordinary
measures will be needed to meet the needs of the existing IDPs and
those expected to come from the safe zone, but welcomed some
incremental steps the GSL has taken and its willingness to work with
timetables for screening of IDPs, enhancing freedom of movement from
the camps, and facilitating return/resettlement. Full readout of
the visit reported Ref A.
LTTE Conscription of Children
--------------
6. (SBU) The Bishop of Mannar reported to Ambassador that a Catholic
Priest had been sheltering up to 400 children in his church within
the safe zone. The priest was attempting to protect the children,
mostly teenagers, from forcible recruitment by the LTTE. When the
Tigers found out about the teenagers hiding they broke into the
church, apprehended them and forced them into service.
Civilian Casualties and IDP Outflow
--------------
7. (SBU) Information was not available from Tamil sources from
within the LTTE-controlled area on civilian casualties on April 6.
The Defense Ministry reported 69 civilians had reached government
territory on April 6.
BLAKE