Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO557
2009-05-21 11:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 78

Tags:  PREF MOPS PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CE ECON 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9927
OO RUEHBI
DE RUEHLM #0557/01 1411144
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211144Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0024
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1206
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0280
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 3853
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1693
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 8701
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 6935
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4994
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3067
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 4953
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4059
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 9324
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 6630
RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 1160
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3544
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDRUSARPAC FT SHAFTER HI//APCW/APOP//
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J3/J332/J52//
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000557 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

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 ECON
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 78

REF: A) Colombo 549 B) Colombo 543 C) Colombo 539 D) Colombo 535 E)
Colombo 533 F) Colombo 529 G) Colombo 522 H) Colombo 519 I) Colombo
514 and previous

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000557

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

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 ECON
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 78

REF: A) Colombo 549 B) Colombo 543 C) Colombo 539 D) Colombo 535 E)
Colombo 533 F) Colombo 529 G) Colombo 522 H) Colombo 519 I) Colombo
514 and previous


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa told
Ambassador late on May 20 that the GSL was firm in its decision to
restrict access by UN agencies and others to IDP camps. He
criticized the UN and ICRC and said that they had to decide whether
to remain in Sri Lanka to help IDPs. He stated that the GSL could
provide for its own people. He claimed that there had been a low
rate of civilian casualties in the final stages of the conflict. He
requested USG assistance in procuring or leasing demining equipment.
UN envoy Nambiar flew to the IDP camps and over the former conflict
zone. The ICRC declined to participate since the flight would not
land in the former conflict zone. The UN was optimistic about
negotiations with GSL regarding the new access rules. The access
restrictions prevented the setting up of several USAID/OFDA-funded
health clinics. END SUMMARY.

BASIL FIRM ON CAMP ACCESS ISSUES
--------------


2. (SBU) Ambassador and USAID Country Director met with Presidential
Advisor Basil Rajapaksa late on May 20, pressing him on better
access for UN, ICRC and NGOs to both the former conflict zone and
the IDP camps. Rajapaksa replied at length that the access issues
surrounding vehicle use inside the camps by UN and other INGO
personnel were not of concern to the GSL. He explained these new
rules were the result of a week-long deliberation by GSL on how best
to run the camps. Rajapaksa said they were instituted because
doctors inside the camps had complained that dust and exhaust from

passing vehicles were causing problems for the IDPs, and that
instead GSL would arrange car parks outside the camps, and bicycles
for aid workers to go inside the camps.

BASIL: UN AND OTHER INGOS FACE CHOICE
--------------


3. (SBU) Rajapaksa stated that the UN, ICRC and other INGOs were not
fulfilling their duties of providing adequate food and supplies, and
that the GSL was succeeding at this. He said the UN, ICRC and
others would have to decide if they were operating in Sri Lanka to
help the IDPs or to worry about their own operating rules. He
expressed exasperation that the UN and INGOs were complaining about
access, and said that GSL would not bow to pressure from outside
"just because some aid worker in Vavuniya sent an SMS text message
to someone in Geneva" to complain about something. Rajapaksa said
the GSL appreciated that there were some international workers who
were helpful, but that the GSL could care for its own people and did
not actually need help from outside. He expressed satisfaction with
the way USAID worked, however. The Ambassador pushed back,
stressing that the role of the UN and ICRC in particular were
essential, and encouraged Rajapaksa to work these issues out with
the international organizations.

BASIL: DEMINING EQUIPMENT REQUESTED

COLOMBO 00000557 002 OF 003


--------------


4. (SBU) Emphasizing the importance of rapid resettlement,
Ambassador asked if there was an overall strategy for demining.
Rajapaksa replied that what the GSL wanted most was assistance in
obtaining de-mining equipment, preferably leased rather than
purchased. He said the military had many soldiers available now,
who should be provided with the proper equipment and put to work on
demining. He asked if USG could provide demining equipment - not
teams. The Ambassador said we would explore whether USG funding
options could assist with that.


5. (SBU) Rajapaksa said that there was a process for prioritizing
areas for demining, involving the Committee on Mine Action through
the Ministry of Nation-Building, and that the GSL would follow the
established procedure for approving demining projects in
consultation with local authorities, the military and security
forces. He said the authorities consult local village leaders as
part of this process, including with those who may be currently in
IDP camps, to determine the extent of knowledge of mine
contamination and to determine which areas should be cleared first.


BASIL: PROUD OF LOW CIVILIAN CASUALTIES
--------------


6. (SBU) Rajapaksa said he was proud of the low numbers of civilian
casualties in the concluding days of the fighting, saying that
hostage situations usually end with much more death, and that the
numbers killed and wounded were small in comparison to all the
victims of the various LTTE bombing attacks on civilian targets over
the years.

BASIL: IDPS WILL HAVE VOTE
--------------


7. (SBU) Ambassador stressed that when elections were held in the
North that any IDPs remaining in camps would have to be included in
the process. Rajapaksa reported that IDP committees were being
appointed inside the camps, and that these appointees would receive
a salary funded in part by UNHCR.

NAMBIAR VISITS IDP CAMPS AND
FORMER CONFLICT ZONE
--------------


8. (SBU) Vijay Nambiar, Chief of Staff to the UN Secretary General,
accompanied by UN Resident Representative Neil Buhne, flew over the
former safe zone on May 21, as low as tree top level, by military
helicopter. Buhne reported to Charge that they saw no civilians in
the area, only military. It is expected that the Secretary General
will make a similar overflight on May 23. The government is
reluctant to allow the SecGen to land in the zone.


9. (SBU) They also flew to Manik Farm on May 21, touring Zones 1 and
4, both of which are receiving new arrivals. UN Resident

COLOMBO 00000557 003 OF 003


Representative Neil Buhne reported to Charge that in addition to
"Zone 0," the government's preferred site to show visitors, Ban Ki
Moon will visit Zone 4, including the health care facility, and will
be allowed to converse with IDPs.

UN HOPEFUL ON IDP CAMP ACCESS TALKS
--------------


10. (SBU) Buhne reported that the UN has slowed down operations in
Zones 1, 2, and 3 due to the disagreement with the government over
vehicular access, but the UN continues to work in Zone 4. The UN
will meet the evening of May 21 with Senior Presidential Adviser
Basil Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Bogollagama in an effort to
reach agreement on vehicular access. The GSL's primary concerns
regarding the volume of vehicles in Manik Farm are security (they
argue that LTTE cadres could escape from the camps in the vehicles)
and cultural sensitivity (they don't like the optic of large numbers
of air conditioned vehicles driving through the camps while IDPs are
out in the heat). Components of a compromise plan may, according to
Buhne, include a log system for vehicles entering the camps,
limiting the number of vehicles through carpooling, removing flags
from the vehicles, and greater coordination with local authorities.

ICRC DONE IN NFZ AREA
--------------


11. (SBU) The ICRC was offered a place on Nambiar's flight over the
former conflict zone, but turned it down because it would not give
them access on the ground. Because of the repeated denial of
access, they have been frustrated in all their attempts to carry out
their mandate in the former NFZ. The ICRC told us he was
nevertheless optimistic that talks with the GSL on access to IDP
camps would reach an agreement. Charge updated Castella about
Ambassador's conversation with Def Sec Gothabaya Rajapaksa on May
20, and Ambassador's advocacy for ICRC access. Castella thanked
Charge for the USG's continuing support and assistance.

ACCESS RULES IMPEDING MEDICAL CARE
--------------


12. (U) The USAID/OFDA regional advisor reported that the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) has not been able to
set up 6 of the 10 USAID/OFDA-funded health clinics due to new
access restrictions at Manik farms camp site.


13. (U) On May 21, the USAID/OFDA regional advisor reported that the
16 expatriate staff from Doctors without Borders (MSF/France)
waiting to set up a field hospital at Manik Farms have finally
received their visas. The MSF staff began arriving on May 20. MSF
will set up the field hospital across from Zone 2 of Manik Farms.
The USAID/OFDA regional advisor noted that the staff will not have
access to any of the zones.

MOORE