LETTERS TO DEPARTMENT FROM LTTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 102760

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PINR PGOV PINS CE
SUBJECT: LETTERS TO DEPARTMENT FROM LTTE


1. (C) SUMMARY: FOUR DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS HAVE RECEIVED
LETTERS FROM THE LTTE, CRITICIZING THE PLACEMENT OF THE
TAMIL GROUP IN A US GOVERNMENT PUBLICATION ON TERRORIST
ORGZANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD AND CALLING FOR AMERICAN
ASSISTANCE IN MEDIATING THE CONFLICT IN SRI LANKA. THE
LTTE APPEARS TO BE TAKING ISSUE WITH A DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
PUBLICATION ISSUED A FEW MONTHS AGO. ACTION IS REQUESTED
IN PARAGRAPH 5, AND LETTER'S TEXT IS PROVIDED IN
PARAGRAPH 6. END SUMMARY.


2. (LOU) NEA ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY PAUL HARE,
OUTGOING INR ASSISTANT SECRETARY ABRAMOWITZ, INR DIRECTOR
OF ANALYSIS FOR NEAR EAST AND SOUTH ASIA GEORGE HARRIS,
AND FORMER S/CT HEAD L. PAUL BREMER EACH RECEIVED
IDENTICAL LETTERS LAST WEEK ALLEGEDLY FROM THE LIBERATION
TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM (LTTE). THE LETTERS APPEAR TO HAVE
BEEN WRITTEN ON A COMPUTER WITH ONLY THE ADDRESSEES
ALTERED ON EACH, DATED MARCH 11, AND WERE MAILED FROM
CANADA. WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUPPOSED AUTHOR
OF THE LETTER, "S. NATHAN", WHO IS
IDENTIFIED ONLY AS "FOR POLITICAL COMMITTEE".
NONETHELESS, WE HAVE NO REASON TO DOUBT THE LETTERS'
AUTHENTICITY, WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN ENGLISH ON TAMIL AND
ENGLISH LTTE LETTERHEAD.


3. (C) THE LETTER PROTESTS THE INCLUSION OF THE LTTE IN
A US GOVERNMENT PUBLICATION "TERRORIST GROUP PROFILES."
PRESUMABLY, THE LTTE LETTER IS REFERRING TO THE DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT REPORT ON GROUPS INVOLVED IN TERRORISM ISSUED
RECENTLY, WHICH DESCRIBES THE LTTE, ALONG WITH SOME FIFTY
OTHER GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. THE LETTER ALSO
REQUESTS U.S. MEDIATION ON BEHALF OF SRI LANKA'S TAMILS,
AND STATES THE WILLINGNESS OF THE LTTE TO MEET WITH
AMERICAN DIPLOMATS. WHILE THE LTTE DENIES THAT IT IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRORIST CRIMES AND ALLEGES THAT IT IS
THE VICTIM OF SRI LANKAN AND INDIAN PROPAGANDA, THE TONE
OF THE LETTER IS NEITHER THREATENING NOR INTIMIDATING.


4. (C) A PRELIMINARY INQUIRY OF SRI LANKA WATCHERS IN
WASHINGTON REVEALS THAT THESE FOUR LETTERS ARE THE ONLY
ONES RECEIVED SO FAR. WHILE THE LTTE WAS SAVVY ENOUGH TO
DIRECT ITS APPEAL TO THE APPROPRIATE SENIOR OFFICERS IN
THE DEPARTMENT, TO DATE NO LETTER HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY
THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, WHICH AUTHORED THE REPORT. MORE
LTTE CORRESPONDENCE MAY SOON BE RECEIVED, HOWEVER, SINCE
THE LETTERS HAVE NOT ARRIVED ALL AT ONCE.


5. (C) ACTION REQUESTED: WE WOULD APPRECIATE WORD FROM
ADDRESSEES REGARDING ANY CORRESPONDENCE OR COMMUNICATIONS
FROM THE LTTE REGARDING THE REPORT. WE WOULD APPRECIATE
ANY INFORMATION ON ANY LTTE REQUESTS FOR AMERICAN
MEDIATION EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE TAMILS. WE WOULD ALSO
WELCOME ANY INFORMATION OTTAWA MAY HAVE REGARDING THE
EXILE ACTIVITIES OF TAMIL GROUPS, AND OF THE SIGNATORY OF
THE LETTER.


6. (LOU) TEXT OF LETTER. BEGIN TEXT.

SIR,

RE: TERRORIST GROUP PROFILES

WE WISH TO CONTRADICT STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THE ABOVE
PUBLICATION RELATING TO OUR ORGANIZATION, "THE LIBERATION
TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM".

IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE ARE NOT A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
WE ARE A MOVEMENT WHICH SEEKS THE RIGHT OF
SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE TAMILS OF SRI LANKA, THE SAME
RIGHT WHICH PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON OF YOUR COUNTRY
PROPOUNDED AFTER WORLD WAR I. PLEASE THERFORE VIEW US AS
AN ORGANIZATION SIMILAR TO THE INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
AND THE ALL-INDIA MUSLIM LEAGUE AS WELL AS THE MOVEMENT
LED BY THE FATHER OF BANGLADESH, THE LATE SHEIKH MUJIBUR
RAHMAN.

SECONDLY, WE ARE AN ORGANIZATION WHICH ENDEAVOURS TO
PROTECT THE TAMILS FROM THE GENOCIDAL ATTACKS OF THE SRI
LANKAN STATE ON THE ONE HAND AND THE BRUTAL
HEAVY-HANDEDNESS OF THE INDIAN PEACE KEEPING FORCE ON THE
OTHER. IN FACT, INDIAN 'PEACEKEEPERS' HAVE BEEN INDICTED
UNDER THE INDIAN PENAL CODE FOR CRIMES SUCH AS RAPE,
LOOTING AND KILLING OF OUR INNOCENT TAMIL CIVILIANS.

THIRDLY, WE LIKE TO INVITE YOUR ATTENTION TO A STATEMENT
MADE BY MR. ROBERT PECK (ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
SOUTH ASIA) THAT VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS BY THE SRI
LANKA STATE AND TAMIL MILITANT GROUPS ARE TAKEN INTO
ACCOUNT, THE SRI LANKA STATE HAS COMMITTED GREATER
VIOLATIONS THAN ALL THE TAMIL MILITANT GROUPS PUT
TOGETHER DID.

FOURTHLY, WE HAVE ALWAYS STATED THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO
DISCUSS OUR GRIEVANCES WHICH WERE NOT ADDRESSED BY THE
SRI LANKA AND INDIAN GOVERNMENTS - DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
TAMILS IN RECRUITMENT TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT,
DISCRIMINATION IN ADMISSION TO UNIVERSITIES AND THE
SYSTEMATIC COLONIZATION OF OUR TRADITIONAL HOMELANDS,
SIMILAR, WE ASSERT, TO WHAT PRESIDENT CEAUSESCU IS DOING
TO THE HUNGARIAN MINORITY IN TRANSYLVANIA.

LASTLY, WE WISH TO CATEGORICALLY STATE THAT WE WOULD
WELCOME THE MEDIATION OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ON
BEHALF OF THE TAMIL PEOPLE OF SRI LANKA. WE NEED YOUR
ASSISTANCE AS AN IMPARTIAL INTERMEDIARY, FOR THE
REHABILITATION OF OUR PEOPLE AND FOR PROVIDING RELIEF OF
OUR DISTRESSED PEOPLE.

FINALLY, WE CATEGORICALLY DENY WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CRIMES LISTED IN YOUR PUBLICATION. WE HAVE BEEN THE
UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF THE STATE PROPAGANDA MACHINES OF
THE SRI LANKAN AND INDIAN GOVERNMENTS.

WE WOULD BE PLEASED TO BE INVITED FOR TALKS BY YOUR
GOVERNMENT TOWARD THE RESOLUTION OF THIS CONFLICT.


YOURS TRULY,


S. NATHAN (FOR POLITICAL COMMITTEE)
END TEXT.


BAKER