Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO44
2009-01-12 12:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: ARMY TAKES ELEPHANT PASS; NOW CONTROLS
how-toVZCZCXRO4639 OO RUEHBI DE RUEHLM #0044 0121236 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 121236Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9159 INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1221 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 8222 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 6436 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 4644 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2515 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 4603 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 3709 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 8874 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6253 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0823 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3099 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000044
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: ARMY TAKES ELEPHANT PASS; NOW CONTROLS
ENTIRE LAND ROUTE TO JAFFNA
REF: A) COLOMBO 0033 B) COLOMBO 0025
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000044
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: ARMY TAKES ELEPHANT PASS; NOW CONTROLS
ENTIRE LAND ROUTE TO JAFFNA
REF: A) COLOMBO 0033 B) COLOMBO 0025
1. (U) In a significant victory, the Sri Lankan ARMY
completed its reconquest of the entire Jaffna peninsula by
seizing control of the key base at Elephant Pass, held by the
"Tamil Tigers" (LTTE) since 2000. On January 9, the
President announced in an address to the nation that after
heavy fighting, the key Tiger-held base of Elephant Pass,
which the Tigers had occupied since 2000, had fallen to the
Sri Lankan military. (Note: The Sri Lankan ARMY established
Elephant Pass in the 1970s to serve as the main logistics
point for several camps in the Vanni and the Jaffna
peninsula.) The President noted that the government now
controls the entire A-9 highway from Kandy to Jaffna - the
main travel and supply route to Sri Lanka's north - for the
first time in 23 years.
2. (SBU) The capture of the A-9 road occurred less than two
months after the capture of the main northwestern coastal
route, the A-32 Mannar-Pooneryn highway, on November 15,
2008, a much less well-developed and practicable route to
Jaffna. The President emphasized in his speech that the LTTE
would no longer be able to assess taxes on civilians and
goods traveling on the A-9. In fact, when the route re-opens
for commercial traffic it should help to reduce the highly
inflated food prices in Jaffna caused by lowering transport
costs. Moreover, the consolidation of government control
over the entire Jaffna peninsula will also allow the ARMY to
redeploy its forces in Jaffna for the final assault on the
Tigers' remaining redoubt in and around Mullaitivu and should
hasten the end of the LTTE as a semi-conventional force (ref
A addresses in more detail the strategic significance of the
government's recent victories).
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Coming just one week after the Tigers'
de-facto capital Kilinochchi fell to the Sri Lankan Army, the
loss of Elephant Pass and the entire Jaffna peninsula comes
as a major blow to the Tiger's morale and prestige. The Sri
Lankan government hopes its success will also dampen
enthusiasm among the large and prosperous Tamil Diaspora for
providing funds to the LTTE. Our sources indicate that the
fall of Elephant Pass may in fact have occurred on January 8,
but the government held back the news to allow the Army's
53rd and 55th divisions to complete their sweep southeastward
from the former Forward Defense Line and take possession of
the entire Jaffna peninsula. It is also possible that the
government thought that the day the Sunday Leader editor was
assassinated (ref b) might not be propitious for announcing a
major military victory.
Blake
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: ARMY TAKES ELEPHANT PASS; NOW CONTROLS
ENTIRE LAND ROUTE TO JAFFNA
REF: A) COLOMBO 0033 B) COLOMBO 0025
1. (U) In a significant victory, the Sri Lankan ARMY
completed its reconquest of the entire Jaffna peninsula by
seizing control of the key base at Elephant Pass, held by the
"Tamil Tigers" (LTTE) since 2000. On January 9, the
President announced in an address to the nation that after
heavy fighting, the key Tiger-held base of Elephant Pass,
which the Tigers had occupied since 2000, had fallen to the
Sri Lankan military. (Note: The Sri Lankan ARMY established
Elephant Pass in the 1970s to serve as the main logistics
point for several camps in the Vanni and the Jaffna
peninsula.) The President noted that the government now
controls the entire A-9 highway from Kandy to Jaffna - the
main travel and supply route to Sri Lanka's north - for the
first time in 23 years.
2. (SBU) The capture of the A-9 road occurred less than two
months after the capture of the main northwestern coastal
route, the A-32 Mannar-Pooneryn highway, on November 15,
2008, a much less well-developed and practicable route to
Jaffna. The President emphasized in his speech that the LTTE
would no longer be able to assess taxes on civilians and
goods traveling on the A-9. In fact, when the route re-opens
for commercial traffic it should help to reduce the highly
inflated food prices in Jaffna caused by lowering transport
costs. Moreover, the consolidation of government control
over the entire Jaffna peninsula will also allow the ARMY to
redeploy its forces in Jaffna for the final assault on the
Tigers' remaining redoubt in and around Mullaitivu and should
hasten the end of the LTTE as a semi-conventional force (ref
A addresses in more detail the strategic significance of the
government's recent victories).
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Coming just one week after the Tigers'
de-facto capital Kilinochchi fell to the Sri Lankan Army, the
loss of Elephant Pass and the entire Jaffna peninsula comes
as a major blow to the Tiger's morale and prestige. The Sri
Lankan government hopes its success will also dampen
enthusiasm among the large and prosperous Tamil Diaspora for
providing funds to the LTTE. Our sources indicate that the
fall of Elephant Pass may in fact have occurred on January 8,
but the government held back the news to allow the Army's
53rd and 55th divisions to complete their sweep southeastward
from the former Forward Defense Line and take possession of
the entire Jaffna peninsula. It is also possible that the
government thought that the day the Sunday Leader editor was
assassinated (ref b) might not be propitious for announcing a
major military victory.
Blake