Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO639
2009-06-24 13:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
SRI LANKA: TWO LOCAL U.N. STAFF DETAINED,
how-toVZCZCXRO7850 PP RUEHBI DE RUEHLM #0639 1751301 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 241301Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0151 INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1760 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 8772 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 7010 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5047 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3145 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 5006 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 1285 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4113 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 9382 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 6684 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 1211 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3614 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000639
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PTER PREL UN CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TWO LOCAL U.N. STAFF DETAINED,
WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN
Classified By: A/DCM Michael DeTar, for reasons 1.4(b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000639
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PTER PREL UN CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TWO LOCAL U.N. STAFF DETAINED,
WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN
Classified By: A/DCM Michael DeTar, for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Two local UN staff members are being detained
by government forces, possibly for alleged ties to a 2006
assassination attempt on Defense Secretary Gothabaya
Rajapaksa. The two men, who work as drivers for UNHCR and
UNOPS, were taken into custody on June 12 and 13. The UN has
been dealing with the cases quietly, only releasing a limited
press statement about the incident on June 20. It appears
that a police vehicle was involved in the original arrests of
these men. However, to date the authorities have released no
arrest record or detention "receipt," nor have they formally
charged the drivers. It is unclear who is holding them,
although one report said they were now detained in Colombo.
Security forces were reportedly seeking a third UN employee,
who apparently managed to leave the country. End Summary.
TWO UN DRIVERS HELD
--------------
2. (C) Information received by Post is that a driver for
UNHCR, Mr. N. Charles Raveendran, was taken from his home in
Vavuniya on Friday, June 12. The driver for UNOPS, Mr.
Kandasamy Saundrarajan, was taken from a petrol station on
June 13 while on duty. UN security (UNDSS) contacts are
reasonably certain the vehicle used in at least one of the
detentions was a police vehicle, but the UN is not certain
now who is holding the two men. It appears that there has
been no legal arrest in either case. According to public
accounts and UN sources, Government security forces have
filed no formal charges against either of the two men.
Unconfirmed reports said the authorities have now transferred
the men to Colombo.
3. (C) The ever-active Colombo rumor mill holds that the
security forces suspect the men of transporting explosives
used in an unsuccessful LTTE autorickshaw attack on Defence
Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa in 2006. Unconfirmed media
reports over the weekend of June 20-21 said authorities had
also detained several employees of CARE International in
connection with the same attack. A diplomatic colleague told
EmbOffs of a report that security forces were seeking a third
UN staffer, but that this person was no longer in the
country.
QUIET U.N. RESPONSE
--------------
4. (C) COMMENT: UN officials in Sri Lanka have handled the
cases quietly so far, only releasing a limited staement on
Saturday, June 20. Embassy contacts saythe UN plans to file
a fundamental rights case i the Supreme Court on behalf of
the two men, and is also investigating whether this detention
violates the government's obligations under the 1994 UN
Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel.
Local UN staff are reportedly disturbed about the low-key
approach taken by the UN leadership in Colombo.
MOORE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PTER PREL UN CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TWO LOCAL U.N. STAFF DETAINED,
WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN
Classified By: A/DCM Michael DeTar, for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Two local UN staff members are being detained
by government forces, possibly for alleged ties to a 2006
assassination attempt on Defense Secretary Gothabaya
Rajapaksa. The two men, who work as drivers for UNHCR and
UNOPS, were taken into custody on June 12 and 13. The UN has
been dealing with the cases quietly, only releasing a limited
press statement about the incident on June 20. It appears
that a police vehicle was involved in the original arrests of
these men. However, to date the authorities have released no
arrest record or detention "receipt," nor have they formally
charged the drivers. It is unclear who is holding them,
although one report said they were now detained in Colombo.
Security forces were reportedly seeking a third UN employee,
who apparently managed to leave the country. End Summary.
TWO UN DRIVERS HELD
--------------
2. (C) Information received by Post is that a driver for
UNHCR, Mr. N. Charles Raveendran, was taken from his home in
Vavuniya on Friday, June 12. The driver for UNOPS, Mr.
Kandasamy Saundrarajan, was taken from a petrol station on
June 13 while on duty. UN security (UNDSS) contacts are
reasonably certain the vehicle used in at least one of the
detentions was a police vehicle, but the UN is not certain
now who is holding the two men. It appears that there has
been no legal arrest in either case. According to public
accounts and UN sources, Government security forces have
filed no formal charges against either of the two men.
Unconfirmed reports said the authorities have now transferred
the men to Colombo.
3. (C) The ever-active Colombo rumor mill holds that the
security forces suspect the men of transporting explosives
used in an unsuccessful LTTE autorickshaw attack on Defence
Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa in 2006. Unconfirmed media
reports over the weekend of June 20-21 said authorities had
also detained several employees of CARE International in
connection with the same attack. A diplomatic colleague told
EmbOffs of a report that security forces were seeking a third
UN staffer, but that this person was no longer in the
country.
QUIET U.N. RESPONSE
--------------
4. (C) COMMENT: UN officials in Sri Lanka have handled the
cases quietly so far, only releasing a limited staement on
Saturday, June 20. Embassy contacts saythe UN plans to file
a fundamental rights case i the Supreme Court on behalf of
the two men, and is also investigating whether this detention
violates the government's obligations under the 1994 UN
Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel.
Local UN staff are reportedly disturbed about the low-key
approach taken by the UN leadership in Colombo.
MOORE