This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000489 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/P/C-MARIA P. KOUROUPAS/GRACHEL KUBAITIS; 
SA/PPD-SHARON E. HUDSON-DEAN 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: ECIN KPAO OEXC SCUL
SUBJECT:  AMBASSADOR'S FUND FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION 
FY-2005 CALL FOR PROPOSALS - SRI LANKA AND THE MALDIVES 
 
REF: STATE 007969 
 
¶A. Post Submits two proposals, one each from Sri Lanka and 
the Maldives for the FY-2005 Ambassador's Fund for Cultural 
Preservation Program. 
 
¶B. Proposal from the Republic of Maldives: 
 
Title: Restoration and conservation of Eid Mosque 
       Male', Republic of Maldives 
 
¶1. Contact: 
 
Philip Frayne 
Public Affairs Officer 
U.S. Embassy, Colombo 
Tel: +94 11 242 1264 
Fax: +94 11 244 9070 
E-mail: fraynepa@state.gov 
 
Angela Gemza 
Cultural Affairs Officer 
U.S. Embassy, Colombo 
Tel: +94 11 242 1271 
Fax: +91 11 244 9070 
E-mail: gemzaa@state.gov 
 
 
 
 
¶2. Grantee: 
 
National Council for Linguistic and Historical Research. 
The NCLHR is responsible for the management and maintenance 
of all cultural heritage sites in the Maldives. 
 
¶3. Summary: 
 
This project is aimed at conserving and restoring the 18th 
century Eid Mosque in Male', the capital of Maldives. Due 
to time and lack of proper maintenance, the building has 
deteriorated.  The mosque is a mandate of the National 
Centre for Linguistic and Historical Research that is 
responsible for the management of all Heritage in Maldives 
and has set 1st of June 2005 as the commencement date for 
the project. The preservation and restoration will take 
approximately 6 months.  The project consists of three 
components: survey and photo-documentation of the mosque; 
restoration and preservation of the mosque; and devising a 
management plan and a scheme of work required for continued 
maintenance (in conjunction with Supreme Council). An 
approximate total of 22,000 US Dollars is estimated for the 
entire project. 
 
¶4. Description of the project and participants, including 
time frame: 
 
Project: 
The Eid Mosque is one of the oldest in Mal.  It is made of 
a unique combination of wood and coral stone.  It also 
shows signs that a rare combination of coral and sand stone 
was used in its construction.   The coral stones on the 
exterior feature intricately hand carved designs.  Wood 
beams, interior pillars, struts, ceilings, doors and 
windows feature these carvings and beautiful lacquer work. 
Time, heat, humidity, sun and lack of attention to 
preservation have taken their toll on these unique coral 
and wood carvings.  This project will repair the damage to 
the mosque and conserve it for future generations.  The 
NCLHR will work with the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs 
to develop a plan for the continued maintenance of the 
building after it returns to service as a functioning 
mosque. 
 
 
 
 
Participants: 
 
Mohamed Thariq; Project Director, National Center for 
Linguistic and Historical Research.  He will oversee the 
actual day-to-day work of the restoration and preservation. 
See C.V. below. 
 
Abbas Ibrahim; Chairman, National Center for Linguistic and 
Historical Research, will play a vital role in negotiating 
details and ensuring the project remains on track. 
 
Ahmed Thorlal; Research Officer, National Center for 
Linguistic and Historical Research, will research and 
document the historical significance of the mosque. 
 
 
Mohamed Waheed; Special Advisor, National Center for 
Linguistic and Historical Research, oversees the Heritage 
section of the Center and will be responsible for the 
procurement of goods. 
Timeframe: 
Total Project: Approximately 6 months. 
Survey and photo-documentation of the mosque - 1 week 
Restoration and preservation of the mosque 
Coral restoration - 4 months 
Timber restoration - 6 weeks 
Devising a management plan for continued maintenance - 
Concurrently with restoration. 
 
¶5. Importance of the collection: 
 
The Eid Mosque was constructed by Sultan Hassan Nurud-din 
in the late 18th century.  An inscription at the site is 
attributed to Sultan Mukaram, which pre-dates the current 
structure. 
 
Additionally, the Eid mosque is just one of a few surviving 
mosques of the type of architecture called "Monsoon 
Architecture".  These traditional wood and coral stone 
buildings are a vital and significant link between past and 
present.  It not only stands as evidence of beautiful 
craftsmanship and design, it also epitomizes the strong 
Islamic faith in the Maldives after the 12th century. 
Additionally, there is a shortage of land in Mal and 
historical landmarks compete for valuable space.  The site 
is currently threatened by pollution and humidity needs 
urgent conservation.  Following the completion of the 
project, the NCLHR will submit the mosque to UNESCO's World 
Heritage Site register. 
 
¶6. Urgency of the project: 
Years of deterioration have threatened the mosque's 
continued viability.   The coral stone and wood 
construction of the building has taken a strong beating 
from the elements, including from the recent tsunami. The 
Mosque's continued usage as a prayer house makes this 
project important to the entire society. 
 
¶7. Impact of the U.S. contribution to the preservation 
project: 
The recent tsunami has caused the GORM to shift priorities 
away from cultural preservation. The U.S. contribution will 
enable the restoration to begin without further delay. 
 
¶8. Benefit to the advancement of U.S. foreign policy: 
Build the foundation of trust and mutual respect and 
emphasize the positive history and current status of U.S.- 
Maldivian bilateral relations. (an MPP goal). 
Demonstrate the United States' commitment to and respect 
for Islamic culture, religion and heritage. This will 
resonate loudly in this 100% Muslim country. 
 
¶9. Resume of Project Director: 
Mohamed Thariq, Senior Research Officer, National Center 
for Linguistic and Historical Research 
Education:London Chamber of Commerce & Industry 
Examination 
Male', Republic of Maldives, 1987 
Junior School Certificate Examination 
Male', Republic of Maldives, 1985 
985 
Training:Training in Conservation & Book Binding 
Conducted by Department of National Archives, Colombo, 
Sri Lanka 
August - October 1999 
Orientation Workshop on Care & Maintenance of Museum 
Materials, Lucknow, India 
1998 
Course on Conservation & Reprography, Kuala Lumpur, 
Malaysia 
1997 
Asian Archeological Congress 
Male', Republic of Maldives, 1993 
Workshop on Conservation of Museum Objects, Male', 
Republic of Maldives 
1990 
Experience:Conservation work on the restoration of an 
old mosque in 
Fenfushi, 2001 
Implemented & monitored construction of a sea wall to 
protect archaeological sit in Gan Atoll, 2000 
Excavated archaeological site on Kashidhoo, 1998 
 
¶10. Detailed Budget: 
Chemicals and preservatives(used in cleaning & 
preservation)$ 3,500 
E.g. Acetone, Ammonia solution, Barium hyroxide, 
Ammonium Bicarbonate, etc. 
Materials$ 8,600 
E.g. High pressure pumps, new timber and 
coral stone, paint 
Electrical Rewiring$ 1,300 
Some of the wiring will need to be upgraded 
 wiring will need to be upgraded 
in order to keep it a working mosque. 
 
Stipend/salary for four workers$ 1,900 
Includes Medical Insurance 
 
Accommodation & Foods$ 3,600 
Provide for workers brought from outside Mal' 
for project 
 
Local Transport$  100 
To bring workers in from outside Mal 
 
Two night watchmen$ 3,000 
Needed to protect supplies after hours 
 
Total      $ 22,000 
 
¶11. Other potential funding sources: 
Although no other funding has been guaranteed, the NCLCH 
can potentially receive funding from: 
The Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs: The Supreme Council 
supervises the functionality of all mosques in the Maldives 
and it is this government council that will be looking 
after the mosque once the conservation is complete. 
 
The Government of the Republic of Maldives: GORM does 
support cultural heritage preservation projects but the 
tsunami of December 26, 2004 has strained the already 
 
SIPDIS 
limited resources of this developing country. 
 
 
¶C. Proposal from Sri Lanka: 
 
. 
 
 
¶C. Proposal from Sri Lanka: 
 
Title: Survey of the Cultural Properties Affected by 
Tsunami on December 26 Inside Dutch Fort and at 
 
SIPDIS 
Kumaranatunge Mawatha, Matara 
 
¶1.         Contact: 
 
Philip A. Frayne, (PAO) 
Phone: (94-11) 242-1624;   Fax: (94-11) 244-9070 
e-mail: FraynePA@state.gov 
 
Angela L. Gemza (CAO), 
Phone: Phone: (94-11) 242-1271;   Fax: (94-11) 244-9070 
e-mail: GemzaAL@state.gov 
 
¶2.  Grantee: 
 
Sri Lanka National Committee of the International Council 
on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS Sri Lanka) 
 
¶3.  Summary: 
 
Matara is a coastal city 160 km. South of Colombo.  As the 
city developed over the centuries, it respected its 
historical and cultural traditions.  The earliest dating of 
the city of Matara is recorded in the 13th century. 
However, its strategic importance was recognized only in 
1595, when the Portuguese built a camp for the 
concentration of their infantry.  Sometime after 1640, the 
Dutch built fortifications and developed their city within 
the fortifications. 
 
 
 
After 1815, the British developed the structures further by 
introducing their own civil administrative buildings. 
These were later adopted by Sri Lankans since independence 
in 1948.  Within these fortifications are a selection of 
buildings that span over four centuries. 
 
In addition, there are manor houses belonging to the 
wealthy merchants and the nobility of the local community 
along the road (Kumaranatunge Mawatha) parallel to the 
river on the northern bund.  Thus, in this study area is a 
unique selection of buildings formed under the influences 
of the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British, and 
alongside buildings reflecting  the local vernacular 
architecture. 
 
Some of these buildings were affected by the recent 
Tsunami, which came in not only from the sea but also via 
 
SIPDIS 
the river, past the river's mouth.  This proposal is for 
ICOMOS Sri Lanka to carry out a survey of the building 
stock in this area and make recommendations as to how they 
could be conserved in order to preserve the nation's 
cultural heritage.  This is an extension to the survey of 
the coastal belt of the country that was carried out by 
ICOMOS Sri Lanka soon after the December 26 Tsunami.  In 
some instances it may be possible to recommend adaptations 
of the buildings for alternative uses, optimizing the 
potential to preserve the stock.  This will enable the 
planners working on post-Tsunami development  to integrate 
these buildings and groups usefully in their urban designs. 
With the revitalization of this area after the Tsunami in 
progress, this survey would be vitally important for the 
planners to include these heritage properties in their 
development proposals. 
 
4.Description of the project and participants, including 
time frame: 
 
Project: 
 
The Project Implementation is divided into three phases, 
sometimes running concurrently: 
 
Phase 1:Initial survey of the history of the buildings 
and the socio-cultural environment; 
 
Phase 2:Detailed survey of individual buildings including 
ng 
measure drawings, photographs, illustrations and a survey 
detailing the damage to the buildings after the Tsunami; 
 
Phase 3:Recommendations for conservation of individual 
buildings (with approximate costing) and the preparation of 
an urban conservation plan and program for the entire study 
area.  This will include a summary sheet of the experiences 
and lessons learnt during the study because it will be the 
first such experience, particularly for the university 
students hired to carry out the survey . 
 
Participants: 
 
Project participants include the following: 
 
The Project Director - A Conservation Architect Planner 
Two conservation architects 
A civil engineer 
An architectural historian 
A GIS specialist 
A quantity surveyor/building economist 
A team of architectural students from the Faculty of 
Architecture at University of 
Moratuwa; and students from the Department of Archaeology 
from the University of Ruhuna at Matara 
 
Timeframe: 
Since university students will be called upon to work 
during their vacation as on the job training, the project 
could be completed in five calendar months.  This could be 
broken down to stages as follows: 
Phase 12  weeks 
Phase 23 months 
Phase 36 weeks, part of which will run 
concurrently with Phase 2 
 
¶5.  Importance of the Project: 
The selected study area consists of a mixture of 
administrative and ecclesiastical buildings built or 
modified to live in over four centuries.  It forms a unique 
confluence of buildings varying from Portuguese, Dutch and 
British influences to the Sri Lankan vernacular 
architecture.  The area represents a vivid picture of the 
mutual heritage of a nation that experienced foreign 
domination for over 450 years. 
 
¶6.  Urgency of the Project: 
The government is preparing development plans for all areas 
affected by the Tsunami.  It is important that cultural 
properties such as these are identified and the information 
fed into the central planning system so that the planners 
can take into account such sensitive sites. 
 
ve sites. 
 
¶7. Impact of the U.S. contribution to the preservation 
project: 
This project runs a serious risk of not being funded at all 
if the U.S. does not help with financing since the central 
government is currently devoting all its resources and aid 
money to the urgent need of temporary housing and restoring 
livelihoods.  Should the USG fund this project, not only 
will it  -- with proper publicity provided by the mission's 
PA section - reflect well on U.S. - Sri Lankan relations, 
but it will serve as a model for similar surveys to be 
undertaken on other parts of the island.  The training and 
hands-on experience the students will receive should also 
result in more such projects as these students spread their 
knowledge in their home communities. 
 
¶8. Benefit to the advancement of U.S. foreign policy: 
Any contribution to this project by the U.S. Government 
will undoubtedly enhance bilateral relations since the U.S. 
will be seen not only helping to preserve cultural 
heritage, but also contributing to the revival of the city 
of Matara after it had suffered considerable damage in the 
tsunami.  The project should also provide a natural entre 
 
SIPDIS 
for mission officers to meet a new group of university 
students, thereby expanding the number of "next generation" 
contacts.  (MPP Goals 2 and 3) 
 
¶9. Resume of the Project Director: 
The Project Director 
Arch. Plnr. Pali Wijeratne, Conservation Architect Planner 
Dip.Arch. (Abdn.); Dip.T.P. (London); M.A. Cons. (York); 
FIA SL; FITP SL; RIBA 
 
Pali Wijeratne is the only Sri Lankan architect and town 
planner with postgraduate qualifications in conservation of 
monuments and sites.  He has over 35 years experience in 
architecture, town planning and conservation of historic 
monuments.  He has held positions of responsibility in both 
Sri Lanka and in United Kingdom. 
 
He worked as the Director of Conservation on the Sigiriya 
Project from 1980-86, under the UNESCO- Sri Lanka Cultural 
Triangle Program and was instrumental in the project's 
winning the PATA Gold Award in 1986.  Mr. Wijeratne 
prepared the master plan for the Sigiriya Project as well 
as the 'Conservation and Development Plan for Galle Fort' 
(a World Heritage City) in 2002.  This was accepted by the 
UNESCO and is at present the working document for both the 
Urban Development Authority and the Department of 
Archaeology.  Other main conservation projects undertaken 
include the restoration of the Treasury Building used by 
the Ministry of Finance in Colombo. 
 
As a planner Mr. Wijeratne has been a project leader/member 
of planning teams in the preparation of regional physicals 
plans as well as development plans for several districts, 
provinces and urban areas including the development plan 
for Greater Matara Urban Development Area in 2001.  In all 
these projects, he personally handled conservation of the 
cultural property. 
 
Mr. Wijeratne is the current President of ICOMOS Sri Lanka, 
a member of the Galle Heritage Foundation and a consultant 
to the Mutual Heritage Center.  He is an executive Member 
of the International Scientific Committee on Conservation 
of Structures of ICOMOS and has presented papers in 
seminars and workshops in USA, Belgium, Spain, Italy, 
Pakistan, India, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Japan and in Sri 
Lanka.  In addition, in February 2005, he conducted a 
workshop in Lahore, Pakistan as a resource person from 
UNESCO on the World Heritage Convention. 
He is also an external examiner for the University of 
Moratuwa and Colombo School of Architecture. 
 
¶10.  DETAILED BUDGET: 
 
 Request to Ambassadors' Fund 
Team Leader - 2.5 man months @ Rs. 150,000Rs. 375,000.00 
Two Architects - 5 man months @ Rs.125,000Rs. 625,000.00 
Civil  Engineer - 1 man month @ Rs.125,000Rs. 125,000.00 
Architectural Historian - 1.5 man months @ Rs.100,000Rs. 
150,000.00 
GIS Specialist - 1 man month @ Rs. 125,000 Rs. 125,000.00 
Quantity Surveyor/Building economist 1.5 
 1.5 
man months @ Rs.80,000Rs. 120,000.00 
Field Staff:  15 students for three man 
months each @ Rs.10,000Rs. 450,000.00 
Traveling and SubsistenceRs.  60,000.00 
Stationary and Printing Rs.  55,000.00 
 
TOTAL:  Rs.2,085,000.00 
U.S. $ 20,934 @ today's rate (US$ 1.00 = Rs. 99.6) 
 
 
11.Other Potential Funding Sources: 
Any shortfall on the funding might be met with a grant from 
the University Grants Commission, which helped with with 
the original survey. 
 
D.Please advise. 
Lunstead 
 
D.Please advise. 
Lunstead