SRI LANKA: CHARGE URGES FOREIGN MINISTRY TO SEEK

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000602


DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID PREF PHUM CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: CHARGE URGES FOREIGN MINISTRY TO SEEK
POSITIVE WAY FORWARD

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JAMES R. MOORE, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AN
D (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: In separate meetings with the Foreign
Secretary and Foreign Minister on June 9, Charge emphasized
that the U.S. goal is to get bilateral relations with Sri
Lanka on a more constructive, cooperative basis, as they were
in the past. Charge noted that since the war was now behind
us, the U.S. was looking broadly at how it could support the
national reconciliation process in Sri Lanka. However, he
stated that as a friend of Sri Lanka, the U.S. had concerns
about the direction the country was taking. He strongly
urged the Foreign Ministry officials to advocate within the
government for positive measures on treatment of IDPs and
their early return to their places of origin, progress on a
political solution, and a decisive improvement in Sri Lanka's
poor human rights situation, including the release of several
political detainees. Charge objected strenuously to an
official publication distributed at the June 3 National
Victory Day celebration which misquoted both President Obama
and Secretary Clinton and characterized the Secretary as
"disingenuous." He deplored defamatory remarks about former
Ambassador Robert Blake and Ambassador-designate Butenis in
an article posted on the Defense Ministry website. End
summary.

"CHAPTER CLOSED"?
--------------


2. (C) In his meeting with Foreign Secretary Kohona, Charge
strongly objected to the publication entitled "Chapter
Closed" distributed at National Victory Day, which misquoted
both President Obama and Secretary Clinton. He stated that
the U.S. was dismayed at the characterization, in this
official publication, of Secretary Clinton and her remarks as
"disingenuous." Charge also deplored the inappropriately
rough treatment of our Co-Chair partner Norway's role in the
Cease-Fire Agreement and peace process.


3. (C) Kohona assured Charge that he shared our concern
about the misquotes and characterization of Secretary
Clinton. The publication, he noted, was not prepared by the
Foreign Ministry or any part of the "core of the government."
He noted that the product had not gone through any editorial
process, but "this was not an excuse ) the ball was dropped."

FOREIGN MINISTER APOLOGIZES
--------------


4. (C) Foreign Minister Bogollagama called in Charge on June
9 to follow up on Assistant Secretary Blake's June 5 phone
call to the Minister. Charge opened the meeting by telling
Bogollagama that there exists an important opportunity for
the President to demonstrate his commitment to a process of
reconciliation. Charge emphasized it is important to move
quickly to do so ) the Sri Lankan people expect that. He
added that the President's meeting on June 4 with 500 Tamil
businessmen was a good initiative. Bogollagama said there
were plans to hold many other similar meetings. Charge and
the Minister agreed that both countries shared the objective
of strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation.


5. (C) Bogollagama expressed regret concerning the "Chapter
Closed" publication distributed during last week,s National
Victory Day event. He said it had been prepared in haste by
a private contractor for the Department of Government
Information and had not been cleared within the government.
He said he had complained to the President immediately after
the parade, since the publication was sharply critical not
only of the international community, but also of the Foreign
Ministry. The President was apparently unaware of the
publication until he saw it on June 3. Bogollagama
apologized to Charge for the publication's criticism of
Secretary Clinton and the misquotes of both the President and
the Secretary. He called the incident "very embarrassing,"
and added that a diplomatic note was being sent to all
diplomatic missions in Colombo expressing regret for the
publication.

DEFAMATORY ARTICLE ON DEFENSE MINISTRY WEBSITE
-------------- -


6. (C) Charge pointed out in the meetings with the Foreign
Secretary and Foreign Minister that an inappropriate and
defamatory article about former Ambassador Robert Blake and
Ambassador-designate Butenis still appeared on the website of
the Ministry of Defense. The objectionable piece included
assertions that Blake "never had the courage to reply when
challenged," and "was displaying his contempt to the host
nation." In addition, the article alleged that "America
wanted to save the LTTE." Charge noted that it was not a
question of free speech in this case, but whether such
inflammatory material belonged on a Sri Lankan government
website. Bogollagama acknowledged the placement of the
article on the MOD website was completely inappropriate and
emphasized that the article in no way reflected the views of
the GSL. Charge pointed out that article was still posted;
both Kohona and Bogollagama undertook to have it removed.

DECISIVE STEPS TO PROMOTE RECONCILIATION
--------------


7. (C) Bogollagama inquired about recent Co-Chair meetings.
Charge responded that there had been frequent conference
calls, but no face-to-face meeting. Charge explained that
the calls were a way for capitals to keep one another
informed of their perspectives on the situation in Sri Lanka.
Charge informed Bogollagama that a Co-Chairs meeting in
Tokyo at the Assistant Secretary level was under
consideration and that capitals were trying to reach
agreement on a date in July. Charge told Bogollagama that it
was important ) in the sense of "helping us to help you" )
that the GSL do the right thing on issues that matter the
most, including national reconciliation, offering a viable
political solution, providing adequate international access
to IDP camps, and permitting early returns of IDPs to their
homes.


8. (C) Charge asked about the current status of the
deliberation of the All-Party Representative Committee on a
consensus devolution proposal to heal the ethnic rift.
Bogollagama said it was necessary to get all parties on board
before a final proposal could be put forward. The President,
he added, has invited the Tamil National Alliance to meet
with him. President Rajapaksa wanted to hold one meeting
together with all the TNA MPs still in the country.

RECONCILIATION LINKED TO HUMAN RIGHTS
--------------


9. (C) In his meeting with the Foreign Secretary, Charge
welcomed steps that the GSL had taken to heal the rifts in
Sri Lankan society, including language training for
government officers, police training, and reaching out to
groups such as the Tamil business community. However, an
improvement in the human rights situation was also essential
for a viable reconciliation process, Charge stressed.

CONTINUED ATTACKS ON CRITICAL JOURNALISTS
--------------


10. (C) Charge noted that the recent abduction and beating
of journalist Poddala Jayantha had raised wide concern in
Washington and other capitals that there seemed to be no end
to brutal attacks on journalists. Kohona appeared perplexed,
asking what the ordeal of an ethnic Sinhalese, pro-government
media worker had to do with reconciliation? Charge responded
that a free media landscape was indispensable to the kind of
discussion that could lead to reconciliation.


PRESSING FOR RELEASE OF DETAINEES
--------------


11. (C) Charge stated that the detention of government
doctors who had emerged from the safe zone after harrowing
experiences and service to their country, and at great
personal risk, was in our view, not a gesture that would
promote reconciliation. Charge urged the GSL to release the
doctors. Kohona pushed back strongly, saying that "the way
the doctors kept issuing statements to the media for months
was not taken kindly" at the senior levels of government. He
noted that the doctors had given interviews to BBC in
violation of rules of government service, which prohibited
them from talking to the media without the authorization of
the Ministry of Health. Further, Kohona accused the doctors
of voicing "blatant lies in support of a terrorist
organization" ) an act which, he argued, would even be
punishable in the U.S. Charge disputed that assertion,
saying that he doubted the doctors had done anything that
would be punishable under any U.S. law. Acting DCM asked
whether the doctors might have been speaking under duress
from the LTTE, as the Information Minister had asserted.
Kohona agreed that if that were the case, it would present an
avenue of legal defense for the doctors.


12. (C) Charge also brought up the case of Stephen
Sunthereraj, an employee of a USAID implementing partner, who
had been abducted by a white van three hours after his
release from detention by the Criminal Investigation Division
following a magistrates' order. Kohona stated that he
believed Sunthereraj was in official custody, but undertook
to look further into the matter.


13. (C) Charge noted that the trial of imprisoned journalist
J.S. Tissainayagam had dragged on for months, despite the
President's statement that a trial could take only a few
days. He urged the government to expedite the proceedings
and release Tissainayagam if he were acquitted. Charge also
pointed out that a conviction would be the first ever in Sri
Lanka of a journalist convicted of terrorism because of his
writings. Kohona said he had not followed the trial closely
but would follow up.

RENEWED REQUEST FOR MEETING WITH SECRETARY
--------------


14. (C) Bogollagama asked whether Secretary Clinton were
planning a trip to South Asia in July; if so, he would like
to invite her to add Sri Lanka to the trip. Failing that,
Bogollagama again requested a meeting with the Secretary in
Washington. COMMENT: Given the prestige associated with such
meetings, Post believes it may be premature to offer a
meeting at this level to the Sri Lankan government. We will
continue to press the government for concrete steps to show
that it is moving to moderate its policies and is serious
about a genuine and inclusive national reconciliation
process. Foremost among these issues of concern is the
humanitarian situation of the 300,000 Sri Lankan citizens
detained in IDP camps. We will also continue to advocate for
devolution as an essential component of a political solution,
and for a marked improvement in Sri Lanka's poor human rights
record.


MOORE