DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PERSUADING SRI LANKA ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002112 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INSB - ANTHONY RENZULLI E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PREF PTER MASS SOCI EAID EUN CE, JA SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: PERSUADING SRI LANKA ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT REF: STATE 092641 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Robert S. Luke per reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On September 10, Embassy Poloff and Embassy USAID Counselor separately delivered reftel demarche to MOFA Southwest Asia Division Principal Deputy Director Aya Yoshida and MOFA International Cooperation Bureau Director Hikariko Ono, urging that Japan join the U.S. in pressing the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) to allow freedom of movement by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) currently confined to IDP camps. ¶2. (C) Yoshida told Poloff the GOJ agreed with the U.S. view that the pace of IDP processing and returns is unacceptably slow and that the GSL has been "too cautious" in allowing its concerns about the possible presence of former Tamil Tiger combatants in the camps to delay returns. While she added that the slow pace of demining was the primary factor delaying returns, Poloff noted that restricting access to mined areas was preferable to continued detention of IDPs in the camps. Observing that the GSL was often "stubborn" and "hostile" to perceived pressure from western and developed countries, she noted that bilateral entreaties to the GSL were sometimes more persuasive than a multilateral approach. She stressed that the GOJ fully shared U.S. goals regarding speeding the return of IDPs. Yoshida said that MOFA would share the contents of the demarche with the Japanese Embassy in Colombo and seek its recommendation on how the GOJ could best deliver a message to the GSL that would complement that of the United States. ¶3. (C) Ono, responsible for assistance planning for Afghanistan-Pakistan and Southwest Asia, said the GOJ understands the situation is serious and indicated that MOFA hopes Japan will continue to play a constructive role in facilitating dialogue with the GSL regarding the situation. She expressed regret that because of Japan's current political transition, MOFA had postponed a planned September 9 Tokyo meeting on Sri Lanka, and said that MOFA had already asked the incoming Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) administration to consider re-setting a date for comprehensive Tokyo talks involving the GSL, India, the U.S., and other key interested countries. She expressed hope that A/S Blake could attend. Ono mentioned that Japan is providing in-kind assistance (e.g., tents, bed-nets) to IDPs through the International Organization for Migration (IOM), authorized this past May up to $4 million in grant emergency aid to be channeled through UNHCR and other organizations, and would be prepared to provide more if requested by the GSL. In addition to awaiting the incoming administration policy decisions on how to approach the Sri Lankan situation, longer-term GOJ assistance is also pending the results of two scheduled Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) security and feasibility assessment missions to the country. ROOS