Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 50

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000412 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 50 Ref: A) Colombo 410 B) Colombo 402 C) Colombo 401 D) Colombo 400 E) Colombo 396 F) Colombo 393 G) Colombo 384 H) Colombo 374 I) Colombo 368 J) Colombo 361 K) Colombo 360 L) Colombo 321 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: GSL officials reported that military operations are ongoing to create corridors through which civilians could escape the safe zone. UNSYG Ban Ki Moon and President Rajapaksa discussed by phone a "humanitarian pause" in the fighting. Subsequently, UN Resident Representative Buhne reported that Rajapaksa would announce a 4 day pause on April 12. A/S Boucher and other Co-Chair representatives discussed strategies to free trapped civilians in a Co-Chairs conference call on April 9. UN reports heavy shelling in the safe zone on April 8 and 9 with at least 61 killed and over 400 injured. ICRC evacuated 536 civilians on April 8 and is planning another major evacuation on April 10. Ambassador will seek appointment with Foreign Minister Bogollagama on April 11 to discuss these issues. End Summary. Military Works to Open Humanitarian Corridor -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Senior Government officials confirmed to Ambassador military plans to open humanitarian corridors to facilitate large scale civilian movement out of the safe zone. According to the plan, snipers and Deep Penetration Units (DPU) already present in or just outside the safe zone would attempt to kill LTTE sentries on the perimeter of LTTE front lines which would free up areas through which civilians could flee. Current efforts are focused on the north and northeastern sections of the safe zone. Indian Embassy reports that these DPU units are operating in the safe zone to identify and pass targeting information on LTTE leadership there. There are unconfirmed reports that Karuna cadre scouts are assisting the DPU forces in the zone. ¶3. (U) On the afternoon of April 10, MOD's website posted an announcement that the "largest hostage rescue mission in the world" had been launched. The posting was vague about the details of the operation but stated that the military had identified "rescue points" for civilians and was "opening escape routes by removing terrorist blockades" while keeping the civilians informed about these routes through public address systems. The posting indicated that "the rescue mission is also supported by limited offensives by troops conducted to make room for the hostages to come out of the LTTE hold." UNSYG-President Rajapaksa Call -------------- ¶4. (SBU) MFA Additional Secretary for Multilateral and UN Affairs Prasad Kariyawasam confirmed that President Rajapaksa spoke with UN SYG Ban Ki Moon on April 9. The President told UNSYG that he was considering a 48 hour pause in the fighting. Subsequently, UN Resident Representative Buhne reported that Rajapaksa would announce a four day pause on Sunday (April 12). (Note: The GSL has given no indication that the pause is being coordinated with any efforts to send a humanitarian assessment mission to the safe zone - the purpose of Post's and others' efforts to call for a pause in the fighting.) Kariyawasam did not know if UNSYG and Rajapaksa discussed the appointment of a UN special envoy. Co-Chairs Conference Call -------------- ¶5. (SBU) A/S Boucher and Ambassador participated in a Co-Chairs conference call on April 9. Participants agreed to focus efforts on: the appointment of a UN Special Envoy to negotiate the release of trapped civilians in the safe zone; encouraging Tamil diaspora groups to press the LTTE to release civilians; and pressing the GSL to adhere to clear, internationally recognized benchmarks and timetables for IDP camps. The U.S. noted our concerns that the conduct of the military could impact the viability of a future IMF program. UN: Heavy Shelling in Safe Zone on April 8-9 -------------- ¶6. (SBU) UN Resident Representative Neil Buhne reported to Ambassador "exceptionally heavy" shelling in the safe zone April 8 and 9. Regional health directors still in zone reported that 40 civilians were killed and 256 injured on April 8. April 9 figures were 21 deaths and 159 injuries. ICRC Evacuates More Wounded; Medicine Needed -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The ICRC reported that they evacuated 536 civilians on April 8, of which the majority were injured. After intense shelling in the safe zone ICRC told Ambassador that 600 more wounded were waiting to be evacuated on April 9. ICRC was planning on sending its boat back last night for an additional evacuation today (April 10). ICRC also reported that the stocks of medicine that went in on a March 22 shipment (Ref L) have been exhausted and once again are desperately needed. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that planning is underway for the next food shipment to the safe zone, tentatively scheduled for the end of next week. WFP reported that Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, during negotiations over the shipment, ominously stated that this shipment might be the last one to the safe zone. (Comment: Basil's offhanded comment could be an indication that the military intends to finish its offensive within as little as two weeks.) GSL Struggling to Cope with IDP Influx -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that 60,583 persons have left the Vanni from October 27 - April 6. The vast majority of them are housed in IDP camps in Vavuniya (54,054). OCHA reports new arrivals have been averaging 700-800/day to Vavuniya over the past 12 days. The Army informed OCHA to expect as many as 10,000 new IDPs this week. OCHA informed USAID that camps are "extremely overcrowded." UNHCR reports that clearing for new housing is proceeding including 60 acres within Manik Farms Zone 2 in Vavuniya. UNHCR plans to hand over 3,000 shelters to the government by April 12 in Zone 3 of the Manik Farms IDP camp. To cope with the overcrowding a GSL official told OCHA informally that the government may need to house as many as 10 people in each of the current shelters. (Note: the shelters were constructed to hold 4-5 people.) Additionally, the government has indicated that they may move some of the new IDPs into sections of the camps intended for long term living. Most organizations providing support in the camps have resisted this but two local NGOs - Jesuit Relief Services and SewaLanka - have indicated a willingness to start erecting shelters in locations where longer term, more permanent structures, exist. UNICEF reports that construction of a water supply project to bring water from a nearby river to the Manik Farms camp is underway and estimates it will be completed by mid-May. GSL Denies Chemical Weapons Accusations -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Ambassador forwarded reports from Tamil groups that the GSL has used chemical weapons in fighting to Foreign Secretary Kohona urging the GSL to respond publicly. In a private reply, Kohona categorically denied that the GSL had ever acquired chemical weapons and reported that the government has requested an investigation from the Office for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons into charges of chemical weapons use by the LTTE. (Note: any investigation would cover both sides.) Additionally, both ICRC and the Indian Ambassador reported that their medical teams treating wounded have come across no evidence of CW or phosphorous use. BLAKE