Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COLOMBO924
2009-10-01 12:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:
JHU PROTESTS OUTSIDE OF U.S. EMBASSY
how-toVZCZCXRO9698 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHLM #0924 2741227 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 011227Z OCT 09 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0582 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1919 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 8955 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7193 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5143 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3333 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 5099 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1376 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0634 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4209 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9520 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6821 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 1305 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3750 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000924
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: JHU PROTESTS OUTSIDE OF U.S. EMBASSY
Classified By: CHARGE VALERIE FOWLER. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000924
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: JHU PROTESTS OUTSIDE OF U.S. EMBASSY
Classified By: CHARGE VALERIE FOWLER. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
1. (SBU) On the morning of October 1, 2009, approximately
250-300 members of the Jathrika Hela Urumaya (JHU),a
Sinhalese nationalist party, protested peacefully outside the
U.S. Embassy for about 45 minutes. The demonstrators
reportedly included several JHU members of parliament and a
national party organizer who had just attended the welcome
reception Post held the previous evening for the newly
arrived Ambassador and DCM. Local security forces allowed
the demonstrators, who carried signs critical of U.S.
policies and chanted anti-American slogans, to march up to
and gather around the pedestrian entrance of the Embassy
compound. (NOTE: In the recent past, government security
forces have allowed only a small contingent of demonstrators
to protest in such close proximity to the U.S. Embassy. They
usually keep the majority of a protesting group at a
distance, outside a long-standing high security cordon set up
to protect Temple Trees, the presidential residence located
across the street from the Embassy. RSO reported the chief
of the local police station claimed his superior ordered him
to allow the protesters to get closer this time. End Note.)
A number of local television and photojournalist press
members were present, photographing and filming the protest.
Often such protesters deliver to the Embassy a petition
enumerating the reasons for the demonstration, but this time
no such petition was produced, and after several speeches the
crowd left without further incident.
COMMENT:
--------------
2. (C) Protest banners carried by the demonstrators referred
indirectly to the forthcoming S/WCI report on possible
violations of international humanitarian law during the
recent final months of the conflict. The imminent release of
this report is likely a motivating factor for today's
demonstration, and Post expects that more protests will come
once the report is published, and as the international
community increases pressure on the Sri Lankan government to
make progress on humanitarian issues related to the continued
confinement of Tamil IDPs. Allowing the protesters from
their JHU governing coalition partner to come into the high
security zone indicates that senior GSL officials are willing
to escalate their rhetoric, both direct and indirect, in
opposing the report. Recent demonstrations at the British
and Canadian High Commissions were also permitted to exceed
previous security limits.
FOWLER
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: JHU PROTESTS OUTSIDE OF U.S. EMBASSY
Classified By: CHARGE VALERIE FOWLER. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)
1. (SBU) On the morning of October 1, 2009, approximately
250-300 members of the Jathrika Hela Urumaya (JHU),a
Sinhalese nationalist party, protested peacefully outside the
U.S. Embassy for about 45 minutes. The demonstrators
reportedly included several JHU members of parliament and a
national party organizer who had just attended the welcome
reception Post held the previous evening for the newly
arrived Ambassador and DCM. Local security forces allowed
the demonstrators, who carried signs critical of U.S.
policies and chanted anti-American slogans, to march up to
and gather around the pedestrian entrance of the Embassy
compound. (NOTE: In the recent past, government security
forces have allowed only a small contingent of demonstrators
to protest in such close proximity to the U.S. Embassy. They
usually keep the majority of a protesting group at a
distance, outside a long-standing high security cordon set up
to protect Temple Trees, the presidential residence located
across the street from the Embassy. RSO reported the chief
of the local police station claimed his superior ordered him
to allow the protesters to get closer this time. End Note.)
A number of local television and photojournalist press
members were present, photographing and filming the protest.
Often such protesters deliver to the Embassy a petition
enumerating the reasons for the demonstration, but this time
no such petition was produced, and after several speeches the
crowd left without further incident.
COMMENT:
--------------
2. (C) Protest banners carried by the demonstrators referred
indirectly to the forthcoming S/WCI report on possible
violations of international humanitarian law during the
recent final months of the conflict. The imminent release of
this report is likely a motivating factor for today's
demonstration, and Post expects that more protests will come
once the report is published, and as the international
community increases pressure on the Sri Lankan government to
make progress on humanitarian issues related to the continued
confinement of Tamil IDPs. Allowing the protesters from
their JHU governing coalition partner to come into the high
security zone indicates that senior GSL officials are willing
to escalate their rhetoric, both direct and indirect, in
opposing the report. Recent demonstrations at the British
and Canadian High Commissions were also permitted to exceed
previous security limits.
FOWLER