UNP LEADER DOWNBEAT BUT UNBOWED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000957 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE SUBJECT: UNP LEADER DOWNBEAT BUT UNBOWED Classified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA A. BUTENIS. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In an October 13 courtesy call by the Ambassador, main opposition United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed a wide range of issues, including IDPs, the soon-to-be released report to Congress on incidents during the recent conflict, and the results from the recent southern provincial elections. Wickremesinghe expressed concern that the government's attempts to colonize historically Tamil areas could aggravate ethnic tensions. He suggested congressional hearings after the release of the report could help ease the GSL's frustrations and serve as an outlet for dissenting opinions. He also said that the UNP, while not happy with its own showing,was pleased that the UPFA did not achieve its goal of an 80 percent majority in the recent southern provincial elections. END SUMMARY. -------------- UNP Concerned About IDPs -------------- ¶2. (C) This was the Ambassador's first meeting with the main opposition party leader. They discussed a wide range of issues. Wickremesinghe expressed concern for the IDPs interned in camps in the north and suggested that the government formally detain suspected LTTE cadres and step up the return of other IDPs. He also suggested that the government amend its law so that it would be in synch with UN guidelines, thus legalizing the government's continued detention of the IDPs. Wickremesinghe expressed frustration with the government,s refusal to allow members of parliament to visit the camps, saying that he understood the government's refusal to allow access to detainees but not IDPs. He suggested that the government wanted to resettle Sinhalese in the Vanni, but the lack of schools and infrastructure would make it difficult. He asserted that the government could exacerbate ethnic tensions if it eventually succeeded in changing the Vanni's historically Tamil demography. -------------- Taking the Sting Out of the S/WCI Report -------------- ¶3. (C) Wickremesinghe suggested the upcoming report to Congress had been met with silence thus far from the Tamil parties because their priority was IDPs. When the Ambassador asked him what he viewed as the next step after submission of the report, Wickremesinghe suggested congressional hearings, in which GSL representatives would have the opportunity to testify, would "take the sting out" of the report and provide the government the opportunity to make its case heard. -------------- -------------- UNP: Current Political Climate Hurts Political Freedoms -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) On the recent southern provincial election results, Wickremesinghe offered that the UNP knew it was not going to win but was pleased that the UPFA did not do as well as it had hoped. He also cited access to the media as a hindrance to the UNP's campaign and pointed to General Sarath Fonseka's weekend speech, which was censored or unaired by several media organizations, as an example of the country's dwindling respect for free press. (Note: The speech was carried in a leading english-language paper on October 18.) Wickremesinghe asserted that if the current government won the national elections, political freedoms would be fewer, that there would be unrest in the north, that the government's inaction to develop new industries would leave the country economically disadvantaged, and that the gap between the elite and the poor would grow larger. COLOMBO 00000957 002 OF 002 ¶5. (C) COMMENT: Wickremesinghe appeared to be in control of his party and remains the central figure in the UNP. But his cautious statements and reluctance to deviate from standard UNP talking points may be Wickremesinghe's response to internal UNP questioning of his leadership. BUTENIS