LTTE MASSACRES 54 CIVILIANS IN EASTERN PROVINCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 002324

LONDON FOR SUTPHIN
CINCPAC FOR FPA AMB. TWINING

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/O2
TAGS: PTER PHUM CE
SUBJECT: LTTE MASSACRES 54 CIVILIANS IN EASTERN PROVINCE
NEAR AMPARA

REF: (A) COLOMBO 2306, (B) COLOMBO 2269


1. (U) SUMMARY: THE LTTE ATTACKED SLEEPING VILLAGERS IN
GONAGALA DURING EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SEPTEMBER 18,
HACKING TO DEATH 54 CIVILIANS INCLUDING WOMEN AND
CHILDREN. LOCALS HAVE ASSAILED THE GOVERNMENT FOR
FAILING TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SECURITY. ON THE OTHER
HAND, TAMILS HAVE CRITICIZED THE GOVERNMENT FOR ITS
ENERGETIC RESPONSE TO THE LTTE ATTACK EVEN AS IT HAS
REMAINED SILENT ABOUT THE AIR FORCE'S ACCIDENTAL BOMBING
OF TAMIL CIVILIANS IN THE NORTH ON SEPTEMBER 15. END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) LTTE CADRES ENTERED THE SINHALESE VILLAGE OF
GONAGALA, APPROXIMATELY 13 KILOMETRES NORTH OF AMPARA
(NEAR THE DISTRICT BORDER WITH BATTICALOA) IN EASTERN
SRI LANKA, BETWEEN O13O AND O430 SATURDAY MORNING,
SEPTEMBER 18. REPORTEDLY DRAGGING SOME OF THEIR VICTIMS
SLEEPING FROM THEIR BEDS, THE LTTE KILLED 54 CIVILIANS
USING LONG KNIVES, SWORDS AND MACHETES. THE VICTIMS
INCLUDED 14 CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE, 17 WOMEN
AND 23 MEN. THIRTY-EIGHT OTHER PERSONS WERE ALSO
INJURED. DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER RATWATTE VISITED THE
VILLAGE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND WAS ACCOSTED BY ANGRY
VILLAGERS ASKING, "IS THIS THE SECURITY YOU ARE
PROVIDING US?" HE PROMISED TO SEND MORE HOME GUARDS TO
THE AREA.


3. (C) SECURITY SOURCES TOLD EMBOFF THEY SUSPECTED THE
ATTACK WAS THE WORK OF ABOUT 6O LOCAL LTTE CADRES.
GIVEN THE LENGTH OF TIME OF THE ATTACK AND GONAGALA'S
DISTANCE FROM KNOWN LTTE AREAS OF OPERATION, THEY THINK
IT UNLIKELY A STRIKE FORCE CAME DOWN FROM THE UNCLEARED
AREA ALONG THE COAST SOUTH OF BATTICALOA FOR THE ATTACK.
THE SECURITY FORCES ARE CONTINUING THEIR SEARCH
OPERATIONS.


4. (U) THE ATTACK WAS WIDELY CONDEMNED. PRESIDENT
KUMARATUNGA OFFERED HER CONDOLENCES ("I WAS DEEPLY
GRIEVED TO HEAR OF THE DEATHS"),SAYING "ALL CIVILIZED
SOCIETIES WOULD, NO DOUBT, DEPLORE CRIMES OF THIS TYPE
WITH UTTER CONTEMPT." THE TAMIL UNITED LIBERATION FRONT
(TULF) AND OTHER TAMIL COMMENTATORS, HOWEVER, CONTRASTED
THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF
GOVERNMENT CONCERN FOR THE VICTIMS (PROMISES OF
ASSISTANCE TO THEIR FAMILIES) WITH THE OFFICIAL SILENCE
AFTER THE SEPTEMBER 15 AIR FORCE BOMBING OF TAMIL
CIVILIANS IN THE NORTH WHERE 22 CIVILIANS WERE KILLED
(REF A).


4. (C) COMMENT: MOST OBSERVERS, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT AND
MILITARY SOURCES, VIEW THIS LATEST LTTE OUTRAGE AS
DIRECT RETALIATION FOR THE SEPTEMBER 15 BOMBING. WHILE
THAT MAY BE TRUE, THE LTTE ACTION DEMONSTRATES ONCE
AGAIN ITS ABILITY TO STRIKE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. BY
REVISITING GONAGALA (A SMALL VILLAGE SURROUNDED BY
TAMIL ONES IN THE JUNGLE WHERE THE LTTE PASSED THROUGH A
YEAR AGO) FAR AWAY FROM THE FRONT LINES, THE LTTE ALSO
SPOTLIGHTED SHORTCOMINGS IN THE GOVERNMENT'S SECURITY
BLANKET IN THE EAST. THIS WILL LIKELY INCREASE PRESSURE
ON THE GOVERNMENT TO MOVE MORE TROOPS FROM THE NORTH AND
PERHAPS FROM THE OFFENSIVE LINES TO INCREASE LOCAL
SECURITY IN THE EAST (REF B). THE WEEKEND PRESS CARRIED
MANY CRITICAL STORIES OF THE SHORT-LIVED (24 HOURS)
RECENT OFFENSIVE ("RANA GOSHA V") SUGGESTING IT HAD
FALLEN SHORT OF ITS OBJECTIVE AND TROOPS HAD RETREATED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS MASSACRE COULD WELL PROVE TO BE THE
LTTE'S MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON IN PREVENTING ADDITIONAL
SUCH OFFENSIVES FROM OCCURRING BEFORE THIS YEAR'S
MONSOON. END COMMENT.

DONNELLY