Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO425
2009-04-16 11:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 54
how-toO 161127Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9806 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 000425
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 54
Ref: A) Colombo 418 B) Colombo 414 C) Colombo 413 D) Colombo 412
E) Colombo 411 F) Colombo 402 G) Colombo 401 H) Colombo 400 I)
Colombo 396 J) Colombo 393 K) Colombo 384
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000425
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 54
Ref: A) Colombo 418 B) Colombo 414 C) Colombo 413 D) Colombo 412
E) Colombo 411 F) Colombo 402 G) Colombo 401 H) Colombo 400 I)
Colombo 396 J) Colombo 393 K) Colombo 384
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: UNSYG CoS Vijay Nambiar met Ambassador and noted
that the UN should play a "continuous," rather than "one-off", role
in promoting an end to hostilities. Ambassador met Minister for
Resettlement Bathiudeen and urged progress on benchmarks for the
treatment of the IDP population. UNHCR presented its "balance
sheet" to the GSL on April 15 highlighting achievements and deficits
in the GSL's treatment of the IDP population. UNHCR outlined 17
areas of improvement for the GSL. UN sources reported resumed
fighting concentrated along the A35 highway on the border of the
safe zone. End summary.
Ambassador Meets Nambiar
--------------
2. (SBU) Ambassador met April 16 with UNSYG Chief of Staff Vijay
Nambiar who is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka to quietly explore a
possible role for the United Nations in encouraging the LTTE to
surrender. Nambiar noted that the UN should play a "continuous",
rather than "one-off", role in promoting an end to hostilities.
Ambassador agreed that the focus must remain on efforts to get the
LTTE to release civilians rather than on negotiating a political
settlement. Nambiar expressed some optimism that it may be possible
to persuade the Government to give the UN a chance to broker a
surrender by the LTTE, but acknowledged that getting the LTTE leader
Prabakharan to agree to such a meeting would be a challenge.
Nambiar, who was accompanied by UN Resident Representative Neil
Buhne, also met today with Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and
Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad. On April 17, he will meet
separately with President Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister
Bogollagama, as well as with Co-Chair Ambassadors, and plans to
return to India later the same day. Ambassador will attend a lunch
in Nambiar's honor hosted by the Foreign Minister after the meeting
with the President and will provide a readout.
Ambassador Urges Progress on Benchmarks for IDPs
-------------- ---
3. (SBU) The Ambassador and USAID/OFDA Representative met today
(April 16) with the Minister of Resettlement Bathiudeen to discuss
international and GSL humanitarian efforts on behalf of the
displaced population, given the influx of new IDPs to transit sites.
During the meeting, Ambassador emphasized the importance of setting
concrete timetables and benchmarks -- as publicly agreed during the
Kaelin visit -- as a way to assure donors and the international
community that the Government was serious about meeting
international standards in terms of freedom of movement, camp
management, and returns. Ambassador emphasized establishing clear
timetables for the issuance of ID cards (resulting in freedom of
movement of IDPs) and for de-mining (resulting in returns) were two
benchmarks that would promote confidence among donors who had become
increasingly skeptical of the Government's long-term intentions.
Bathiudeen pointed out that the presence of LTTE cadres in the camps
is an impediment to freedom of movement. Ambassador stressed that
separation of known cadres from the general IDP population would be
helpful to relax movement restrictions on the IDPs, and noted that
absent clear benchmarks and their timely implementation, US and
other donors would be unlikely to provide significant new
assistance.
UNHCR Presents Balance Sheet to GSL
--------------
4. (SBU) Following the meeting Ambassador requested and received
from UNHCR the "balance sheet" UNHCR had shared with the GSL on
April 15 assessing achievements and deficits the GSL had made in the
agreed upon benchmarks for the treatment of IDPs. The balance sheet
noted: "The juxtaposition of the IDPs' rights and the Government of
Sri Lanka's concerns over national security are negatively impacting
UNHCR's ability to carry out its mandate in Sri Lanka. In addition,
UNHCR and its humanitarian partners will have difficulties in
obtaining donor funding for continued emergency assistance under the
present circumstances." UNHCR highlighted 17 different areas the
GSL should focus on including establishing a transparent screening
process for escapees with better UNHCR access, full freedom of
movement and the establishment of a confidential reporting system to
combat various forms of abuse in the camps. UNHCR is currently
working on a memo UN Special Rapporteur Walter Kaelin will send to
Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa on April 17 to highlight areas
in which the GSL needs to improve its performance.
IDP Camp Access
--------------
5. (SBU) CRS and IOM report that phone lines are being installed at
the IDP camps in Vavuniya. IOM reports that relatives were allowed
to visit the camps for New Year celebrations and exchange gifts.
Demining Progress in Mannar
--------------
6. (U) De-mining by three agencies is ongoing in fifteen villages in
Mannar District's Musalli Division. According to Mine Action Group
(MAG) Country Director (one of the de-mining agencies),four of the
five villages assigned to MAG have now been surveyed, and IOM/Mannar
reports that those four villages have been found to have "zero
contamination." Another de-mining organization, Sarvatra, has also
completed surveys for four villages, and UNDP has issued a "low mine
risk" certificate for them. The third organization, FSD (Fondacion
Suisse de Deminage),is focusing its work in some of the more highly
populated villages. The Government Agent of Mannar -- responding to
the central government's request to give high priority to returns --
plans for a first batch of 122 families (409 individuals) to return
on April 28th, and for a second batch of 400 families to return on
May 11th. Return packages and requirements are being developed by
local officials and the UN.
Local NGOs Meet Gotabhaya
--------------
7. (SBU) Local NGOs Sewalanka and Sarvodaya as well as
representatives from the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA)
meet Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on April 15 to discuss
GSL resettlement plans and GSL restrictions on NGO activities in
Vavuniya. According to CHA, Rajapaksa stated that he supported
caling up demining activities but also indicated tere needed to be
more demining groups than the 3NGOs currently operating in Mannar.
Returns in te North would follow the same process as what the GSL
instituted in the East; planning of returns would follow UN
clearance certificates after demining work was completed. Rajapaksa
also indicated that the GSL had identified two new "transitional
sites" for IDPs in Mannar. The Government Agent in Mannar has
forwarded these sites for official security clearance. Rajapaksa,
responding to NGO difficulties with harassment of staff at the
Medawachchiya checkpoint promised to speak to the Inspector General
of Police about the incidents.
Military Pushes to Split Safe Zone
--------------
8. (SBU) UN sources in contact with NGO staff in the safe zone
reported fresh government offensives in or near the safe zone at the
Iraddai-Vaaykkaal junction on the A35 highway. The UN believes the
military is trying to cut the safe zone in two, a strategy similar
to what Defense Secretary Rajapaksa outlined to Ambassador on April
15 (Ref A). The UN also reported that the LTTE has forcibly moved a
large number of civilians towards the southern end of the safe zone
to prevent escapes. Recently casualty figures are still incomplete
but estimates are that approximately 4,700 civilians have died and
another 11,300 have been injured in fighting since January 20. UN
Resident Representative Buhne reported as of 4pm 35 deaths and 77
injuries in fighting April 15. Tamil sources reported 219 deaths
and 432 injuries. (Note: Such reports from Tamil sources cannot be
confirmed and are frequently exaggerated.)
President Visits Kilinochchi
--------------
9. (U) State media reported that President Rajapaksa visited
Kilinochchi today, the first time a Sri Lankan head of state has
travelled to the former LTTE administrative capital in nearly three
decades. The President visited during the traditional Sinhala and
Hindu New Year period to meet with the troops stationed there.
Food Shipment Loading Begins
--------------
10. (U) UN Resident Representative Buhne reported that WFP began
loading a cargo ship with food aid yesterday (April 15). Buhne
stated that the soonest it could set sail for the safe zone is April
19.
Kouchner-Miliband Statement
--------------
11. (U) French Foreign Minister Kouchner and British Foreign
Secretary Miliband released a joint statement on Sri Lanka on April
15. The statement condemned the LTTE use of civilians as human
shields and called on the government to extend a pause in fighting
to allow civilians to leave the conflict zone and abide by
international humanitarian law.
LTTE Recruits Children; Fires on Civilians
--------------
12. (U) BBC Tamil language service reporters gained access to IDPs
who were evacuated from the safe zone. These IDPs confirmed reports
of shelling in the safe zone, child recruitment by the LTTE and the
LTTE firing on civilians attempting to escape Tiger-held territory.
The BBC also quoted IDPs describing shortages of food with one
reporting that his family had gone 5 days without eating. The
Ministry of Defense website posted the text of an April 15 briefing
by U/SYG Holmes at the UN in which he "regretted" the LTTE actively
preventing civilians from leaving during the recently concluded 48
hour pause in fighting.
Rhetoric Against International
Community Heats Up
--------------
13. (U) Following the attack on the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oslo, (Ref
B) Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana charged that Norway had
given a free hand to LTTE supporters to carry out terrorist acts
against Sri Lanka in that country and Sri Lankans have irretrievably
lost confidence in the country. In a separate article, the website
Asian Tribune attacked Ambassador for, "actively persuading the
Government of Sri Lanka to allow the LTTE leadership and cadres to
obtain safe passage to another country using the good offices of the
United Nations." The article went on to state, " Ambassador Blake
has been taking advice from these LTTE supporters and had been
verbatim repeating their requests to the senior officials in
Government and thus he has emerged as the unofficial mouthpiece of
the LTTE terrorists within the Diplomatic Corps and the
international donor Community in Sri Lanka." PAO subsequently
called the author of the article to register Embassy complaints
after Ambassador had cooperated by answering questions submitted
from the website.
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 54
Ref: A) Colombo 418 B) Colombo 414 C) Colombo 413 D) Colombo 412
E) Colombo 411 F) Colombo 402 G) Colombo 401 H) Colombo 400 I)
Colombo 396 J) Colombo 393 K) Colombo 384
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: UNSYG CoS Vijay Nambiar met Ambassador and noted
that the UN should play a "continuous," rather than "one-off", role
in promoting an end to hostilities. Ambassador met Minister for
Resettlement Bathiudeen and urged progress on benchmarks for the
treatment of the IDP population. UNHCR presented its "balance
sheet" to the GSL on April 15 highlighting achievements and deficits
in the GSL's treatment of the IDP population. UNHCR outlined 17
areas of improvement for the GSL. UN sources reported resumed
fighting concentrated along the A35 highway on the border of the
safe zone. End summary.
Ambassador Meets Nambiar
--------------
2. (SBU) Ambassador met April 16 with UNSYG Chief of Staff Vijay
Nambiar who is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka to quietly explore a
possible role for the United Nations in encouraging the LTTE to
surrender. Nambiar noted that the UN should play a "continuous",
rather than "one-off", role in promoting an end to hostilities.
Ambassador agreed that the focus must remain on efforts to get the
LTTE to release civilians rather than on negotiating a political
settlement. Nambiar expressed some optimism that it may be possible
to persuade the Government to give the UN a chance to broker a
surrender by the LTTE, but acknowledged that getting the LTTE leader
Prabakharan to agree to such a meeting would be a challenge.
Nambiar, who was accompanied by UN Resident Representative Neil
Buhne, also met today with Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and
Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad. On April 17, he will meet
separately with President Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister
Bogollagama, as well as with Co-Chair Ambassadors, and plans to
return to India later the same day. Ambassador will attend a lunch
in Nambiar's honor hosted by the Foreign Minister after the meeting
with the President and will provide a readout.
Ambassador Urges Progress on Benchmarks for IDPs
-------------- ---
3. (SBU) The Ambassador and USAID/OFDA Representative met today
(April 16) with the Minister of Resettlement Bathiudeen to discuss
international and GSL humanitarian efforts on behalf of the
displaced population, given the influx of new IDPs to transit sites.
During the meeting, Ambassador emphasized the importance of setting
concrete timetables and benchmarks -- as publicly agreed during the
Kaelin visit -- as a way to assure donors and the international
community that the Government was serious about meeting
international standards in terms of freedom of movement, camp
management, and returns. Ambassador emphasized establishing clear
timetables for the issuance of ID cards (resulting in freedom of
movement of IDPs) and for de-mining (resulting in returns) were two
benchmarks that would promote confidence among donors who had become
increasingly skeptical of the Government's long-term intentions.
Bathiudeen pointed out that the presence of LTTE cadres in the camps
is an impediment to freedom of movement. Ambassador stressed that
separation of known cadres from the general IDP population would be
helpful to relax movement restrictions on the IDPs, and noted that
absent clear benchmarks and their timely implementation, US and
other donors would be unlikely to provide significant new
assistance.
UNHCR Presents Balance Sheet to GSL
--------------
4. (SBU) Following the meeting Ambassador requested and received
from UNHCR the "balance sheet" UNHCR had shared with the GSL on
April 15 assessing achievements and deficits the GSL had made in the
agreed upon benchmarks for the treatment of IDPs. The balance sheet
noted: "The juxtaposition of the IDPs' rights and the Government of
Sri Lanka's concerns over national security are negatively impacting
UNHCR's ability to carry out its mandate in Sri Lanka. In addition,
UNHCR and its humanitarian partners will have difficulties in
obtaining donor funding for continued emergency assistance under the
present circumstances." UNHCR highlighted 17 different areas the
GSL should focus on including establishing a transparent screening
process for escapees with better UNHCR access, full freedom of
movement and the establishment of a confidential reporting system to
combat various forms of abuse in the camps. UNHCR is currently
working on a memo UN Special Rapporteur Walter Kaelin will send to
Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa on April 17 to highlight areas
in which the GSL needs to improve its performance.
IDP Camp Access
--------------
5. (SBU) CRS and IOM report that phone lines are being installed at
the IDP camps in Vavuniya. IOM reports that relatives were allowed
to visit the camps for New Year celebrations and exchange gifts.
Demining Progress in Mannar
--------------
6. (U) De-mining by three agencies is ongoing in fifteen villages in
Mannar District's Musalli Division. According to Mine Action Group
(MAG) Country Director (one of the de-mining agencies),four of the
five villages assigned to MAG have now been surveyed, and IOM/Mannar
reports that those four villages have been found to have "zero
contamination." Another de-mining organization, Sarvatra, has also
completed surveys for four villages, and UNDP has issued a "low mine
risk" certificate for them. The third organization, FSD (Fondacion
Suisse de Deminage),is focusing its work in some of the more highly
populated villages. The Government Agent of Mannar -- responding to
the central government's request to give high priority to returns --
plans for a first batch of 122 families (409 individuals) to return
on April 28th, and for a second batch of 400 families to return on
May 11th. Return packages and requirements are being developed by
local officials and the UN.
Local NGOs Meet Gotabhaya
--------------
7. (SBU) Local NGOs Sewalanka and Sarvodaya as well as
representatives from the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA)
meet Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on April 15 to discuss
GSL resettlement plans and GSL restrictions on NGO activities in
Vavuniya. According to CHA, Rajapaksa stated that he supported
caling up demining activities but also indicated tere needed to be
more demining groups than the 3NGOs currently operating in Mannar.
Returns in te North would follow the same process as what the GSL
instituted in the East; planning of returns would follow UN
clearance certificates after demining work was completed. Rajapaksa
also indicated that the GSL had identified two new "transitional
sites" for IDPs in Mannar. The Government Agent in Mannar has
forwarded these sites for official security clearance. Rajapaksa,
responding to NGO difficulties with harassment of staff at the
Medawachchiya checkpoint promised to speak to the Inspector General
of Police about the incidents.
Military Pushes to Split Safe Zone
--------------
8. (SBU) UN sources in contact with NGO staff in the safe zone
reported fresh government offensives in or near the safe zone at the
Iraddai-Vaaykkaal junction on the A35 highway. The UN believes the
military is trying to cut the safe zone in two, a strategy similar
to what Defense Secretary Rajapaksa outlined to Ambassador on April
15 (Ref A). The UN also reported that the LTTE has forcibly moved a
large number of civilians towards the southern end of the safe zone
to prevent escapes. Recently casualty figures are still incomplete
but estimates are that approximately 4,700 civilians have died and
another 11,300 have been injured in fighting since January 20. UN
Resident Representative Buhne reported as of 4pm 35 deaths and 77
injuries in fighting April 15. Tamil sources reported 219 deaths
and 432 injuries. (Note: Such reports from Tamil sources cannot be
confirmed and are frequently exaggerated.)
President Visits Kilinochchi
--------------
9. (U) State media reported that President Rajapaksa visited
Kilinochchi today, the first time a Sri Lankan head of state has
travelled to the former LTTE administrative capital in nearly three
decades. The President visited during the traditional Sinhala and
Hindu New Year period to meet with the troops stationed there.
Food Shipment Loading Begins
--------------
10. (U) UN Resident Representative Buhne reported that WFP began
loading a cargo ship with food aid yesterday (April 15). Buhne
stated that the soonest it could set sail for the safe zone is April
19.
Kouchner-Miliband Statement
--------------
11. (U) French Foreign Minister Kouchner and British Foreign
Secretary Miliband released a joint statement on Sri Lanka on April
15. The statement condemned the LTTE use of civilians as human
shields and called on the government to extend a pause in fighting
to allow civilians to leave the conflict zone and abide by
international humanitarian law.
LTTE Recruits Children; Fires on Civilians
--------------
12. (U) BBC Tamil language service reporters gained access to IDPs
who were evacuated from the safe zone. These IDPs confirmed reports
of shelling in the safe zone, child recruitment by the LTTE and the
LTTE firing on civilians attempting to escape Tiger-held territory.
The BBC also quoted IDPs describing shortages of food with one
reporting that his family had gone 5 days without eating. The
Ministry of Defense website posted the text of an April 15 briefing
by U/SYG Holmes at the UN in which he "regretted" the LTTE actively
preventing civilians from leaving during the recently concluded 48
hour pause in fighting.
Rhetoric Against International
Community Heats Up
--------------
13. (U) Following the attack on the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oslo, (Ref
B) Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana charged that Norway had
given a free hand to LTTE supporters to carry out terrorist acts
against Sri Lanka in that country and Sri Lankans have irretrievably
lost confidence in the country. In a separate article, the website
Asian Tribune attacked Ambassador for, "actively persuading the
Government of Sri Lanka to allow the LTTE leadership and cadres to
obtain safe passage to another country using the good offices of the
United Nations." The article went on to state, " Ambassador Blake
has been taking advice from these LTTE supporters and had been
verbatim repeating their requests to the senior officials in
Government and thus he has emerged as the unofficial mouthpiece of
the LTTE terrorists within the Diplomatic Corps and the
international donor Community in Sri Lanka." PAO subsequently
called the author of the article to register Embassy complaints
after Ambassador had cooperated by answering questions submitted
from the website.
BLAKE