VZCZCXRO6160
RR RUEHBI RUEHCI
DE RUEHCG #0198/01 0741124
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151124Z MAR 07
FM AMCONSUL CHENNAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0738
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2349
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0730
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 4995
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1310

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHENNAI 000198 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER EFIS IN CE
SUBJECT:  LTTE SMUGGLING AND ONGOING FISHERIES DISPUTE RAISE 
TEMPERATURE IN TAMIL NADU 
 
REFS: (A) CHENNAI 0086 (B) CHENNAI 0143 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  The recent upswing in smuggling by Tamil Tigers 
has combined with an ongoing fisheries dispute to mobilize anti-Sri 
Lanka sentiment in Tamil Nadu.  Possibly in an effort to tamp down 
on smuggling by the Tigers, the Sri Lankan Navy has allegedly fired 
on Indian fishing vessels resulting in two deaths.  The deaths have 
seriously embarrassed Tamil Nadu's DMK-led government, forcing 
representatives of the ruling party to literally march to the Sri 
Lankan mission in Chennai as well as demand action from India's 
central government.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
TAMIL FISHERMEN ATTACKED; SRI LANKA DENIES INVOLVEMENT 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Within a span of 12 days, two Tamil Nadu fishermen died 
after the Sri Lankan Navy allegedly fired on their vessels in the 
Palk Strait.  Most recently, on March 10 five fishermen came under 
fire killing one and injured two others.  Media reports quoted an 
injured fisherman as saying:  "When a fast craft of the Sri Lankan 
Navy approached us, we pleaded with them not to open fire. They did 
not listen and opened fire indiscriminately."  Earlier, on February 
26, another Tamil Nadu fisherman died in similar circumstances. 
Tamil Nadu officials say there have been at least six such attacks 
since February 14. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) For its part, the government of Sri Lanka denies that its 
navy attacked the Tamil fisherman.  Sri Lanka has suggested that the 
Tigers may have attacked the fisherman in an effort to embarrass the 
government of Sri Lanka.  According to reports carried in the 
Chennai media, Sri Lanka unequivocally stated that its vessels have 
not crossed the international marine boundary line and therefore 
could not have been involved in the incidents, which occurred in 
Indian waters.  Chief Minister Karunanidhi of Tamil Nadu brushed 
aside the Sri Lankan claim, relying on the eyewitness accounts of 
the fisherman who blamed the Sri Lankan Navy. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) But Sri Lanka would have an understandable motivation for 
firing on boats from Tamil Nadu:  Tiger weapons smuggling.  Recent 
months have seen increased smuggling of supplies by the Tigers from 
Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka using fishing vessels (Ref B).  Tamil Nadu 
police announced on March 9 that 41 people, including 16 Sri 
Lankans, had been arrested in the cases of smuggling bomb-making 
supplies and weapons to Sri Lanka.  A Tamil Tiger smuggling network, 
which the police are actively pursuing, appears to be operating in 
Tamil Nadu. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The matter is further complicated by Sri Lankan concerns 
about Tamil fisherman poaching in Sri Lankan waters.  According to 
security analyst and former Indian Army intelligence officer Colonel 
Hariharan, Tamil Nadu fishermen routinely cross the international 
boundary line to fish prawns on the Sri Lankan side. He said that 
Sri Lanka would have long ago stopped Tamil Nadu's fisherman from 
working Sri Lankan waters if it were not for the ongoing Tamil 
insurgency. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
RULING DMK SUPPORTS JOINT PATROLS - AND RETHINKS 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Outrage at the attacks on fisherman has resulted in 
protests, blockading of roads, and political posturing by all 
parties in Tamil Nadu.  Feeling the heat, the ruling DMK organized a 
march led by five senior state ministers, including the Chief 
Minister's son and heir apparent, to the Sri Lankan Deputy High 
Commission where they staged a peaceful demonstration.  The 
assembled DMK leaders demanded an immediate stoppage of the 
"undeclared war" against fishermen of Tamil Nadu. Simultaneously, a 
team of Tamil Nadu Members of Parliament and Union Ministers met 
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging his intervention. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Briefing newsmen after the demonstration, CM Karunanidhi 
supported the Sri Lankan President Rajapakse's idea of joint 
patrolling along the International Maritime Boundary Line by Indian 
and Sri Lankan forces, but the next day he clarified that it is up 
to the Center to decide. On the third day, he further diluted the 
position and reportedly expressed skepticism over effectiveness of 
the proposal. Karunanidhi had earlier written two letters to Prime 
Minister Singh urging the government of India to engage with Sri 
Lanka on the issue as it was causing great tension in his state. 
When the firings continued, Karunanidhi changed the tone and vaguely 
threatened retaliation, writing that "if the atrocities on Tamil 
fishermen continued, then no one should think that the hands of 
Tamils will only be fishing in that sea."  A senior journalist 
viewed Chief Minister's threat as empty rhetoric, "meant for the 
Tamil galleries." 
 
CHENNAI 00000198  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶10. (SBU) COMMENT: It remains to be seen whether the idea of joint 
patrolling will be acceptable to the government of India.  The 
problem of Tamil Nadu fishermen routinely crossing the marine 
boundary has defied solution for decades.  The problem is now 
compounded by the smuggling activity taking place under the cover of 
fishing.  The recent midsea attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen began 
immediately following a series of seizures of war merchandise from 
boats plying between Tamil Nadu and northern Sri Lanka (reftel A). 
Tamil Nadu police themselves claimed that one of the boats the 
Indian Coast Guard seized with arms (reftel B) was lined with 
powerful explosives, probably intended to attack a Sri Lankan ship 
or harbor.  While cracking down on the Tiger smuggling network, the 
Tamil Nadu government cannot afford to antoganize the numerically 
significant fishermen community altogether.  Tamil Nadu will 
therefore continue to press the central government to diplomatically 
engage Sri Lanka on the issue.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶11. (U) This message has been coordinated with Embassy New Delhi. 
 
HOPPER