1990 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: SRI LANKA AND

UNCLAS COLOMBO 07592 LIMITED OFFICIAL USE FOR S/CT-BREELAND E.O. 12356:N/A TAGS: PTER CE MV SUBJECT: 1990 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: SRI LANKA AND THE MALDIVES REF: STATE 355397 ¶1. DECONTROL UPON RECEIPT. - ¶2. FOLLOWING RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO QUESTIONS POSED IN PARA 5 REFTEL: - SRI LANKA - A) IN 1990 THE GSL PROSECUTED TWO SIGNIFICANT CASES INVOLVING ACTS OF TERRORISM -- ONE INVOLVING THREE INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED IN THE MAY 1986 BOMBING OF AN AIR LANKA TRISTAR AIRCRAFT, WHICH KILLED 28, AND ANOTHER INVOLVING FIVE ACCUSED IN THE AUGUST 1987 GRENADE ATTACK AT PARLIAMENT, IN WHICH TWO OFFICIALS WERE KILLED AND SEVERAL OTHERS INJURED. IN BOTH CASES ALL OF THE ACCUSED WERE ACQUITTED IN 1990; HOWEVER, IN THE PARLIAMENT BOMBING CASE, AS OF NOVEMBER 1990 THE FIVE ACCUSED REMAINED IN CUSTODY, UNDER EMERGENCY REGULATIONS, PENDING GOVERNMENT APPEAL OF THEIR ACQUITTAL. - B) THE ISSUE OF EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS HAS NOT ARISEN. - C) A POTENTIAL OBSTACLE TO FUTURE EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS IS THE LACK OF A FORMAL EXTRADITION TREATY BETWEEN SRI LANKA AND MOST NON-COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES. - D/E) THE GSL, WHICH HAS BEEN THE TARGET OF NUMEROUS ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM BY POLITICAL EXTREMISTS IN RECENT YEARS, IS ON PUBLIC RECORD AS CONDEMNING ALL FORMS OF TERRORISM. DURING 1990 IT FOUGHT TERRORIST INSURGENCIES AGAINST TAMIL SEPARATISTS IN THE NORTH AND EAST AND SINHALESE EXTREMISTS (THE JANATHA VIMUKTHI PERAMUNA OR JVP) IN THE SOUTH. THE LATTER INSURGENCY WAS LARGELY DEFEATED BY EARLY 1990; HOWEVER, AS MANY AS 15,000 SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF THE TERRORIST JVP REMAIN IN CUSTODY. THE GSL HAS INDICATED THAT IT WILL SEEK TO PROSECUTE THOSE BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRORIST ACTS AND WILL PROVIDE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION TO THE OTHERS. THOUSANDS FOUND TO HAVE ONLY MARGINAL TIES TO THE JVP HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED. IN THE NORTH AND EAST, THE LTTE SUDDENLY BROKE OFF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN JUNE AND LAUNCHED WIDESPREAD ATTACKS ON POLICE AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY THE LTTE ALSO ATTACKED NUMEROUS SINHALESE AND MUSLIM VILLAGES, IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THEM OUT. THE INSURGENCY CONTINUED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. - F) NONE NOTED. - G) NONE NOTED. - H) THE GSL APPEARS AS DETERMINED AS EVER TO COMBAT BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. - ¶3. REPUBLIC OF THE MALDIVES - A) NONE. - B) NO. - C) NONE NOTED. - D) NONE NOTED. - E) NONE NOTED. - F) NONE NOTED. - G) NO. - H) NONE NOTED. CREEKMORE