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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002136 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/ES, INR/MR, PA 
SA/INS (CAMP, SIM, GOWER) SA/PD (SCENSNY, ROGERS, 
PALLADINO); SSA/PAS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KPAO PTER EAID OIIP PREL CE LTTE
SUBJECT:  Special Media Reaction: December 19 Statement by 
the Tokyo Donors Conference Co-Chairs 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: The statement by the Tokyo Donors Conference 
Co-chairs after their December 19 meeting in Brussels 
sparked banner headlines and lead stories of all print and 
electronic media on December 21.  However, only the 
mainstream independent Daily Mirror and its sister Sinhala 
paper, Lankadeepa, carried all elements of the statement. 
Government-owned and Sinhala nationalist media played up 
condemnation of the LTTE and ignored the portion of the 
statement asking the government to disarm paramilitary 
groups.  Tamil and pro-LTTE media, by contrast, reported the 
Co-chairs' condemnation of LTTE violence but emphasized the 
government's requirement under the terms of the Ceasefire 
Agreement to disarm paramilitaries threatening the LTTE. 
State-run and independent TV stations all pushed the 
statement as the lead or second stories on evening news 
broadcasts. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) All government-owned media carried banner headlines 
expressing the Co-chairs' condemnation of LTTE violence. 
Even the state run Tamil paper, Thinakaran, emphasized LTTE 
atrocities in a lead story titled, "Peace efforts should be 
accelerated, Co-chairs command the LTTE to stop violence." 
Like government newspapers, independent Sinhala nationalist 
media made no mention of the Co-chairs' call for the 
government to disarm paramilitaries. The nationalist English- 
language Island and its sister Sinhala paper, Divaina, 
bannered, "Co-chairs warn LTTE of serious consequences," 
adding that while these were not specified, they might 
include the full designation of the LTTE as a terrorist 
organization in the EU.  Independent Sinhala Lakbima 
bannered, "Co-Chairs emphasize the importance of adhering to 
the peace process, renouncing violence." 
 
¶3. (U) Only the independent Daily Mirror and its sister 
Sinhala paper, Lankadeepa (both generally slanted towards 
the opposition United National Party), briefly mentioned the 
co-chairs' call for the government to disarm paramilitary 
groups.  In a lead story titled, "Co-chairs growl at 
Tigers," the article noted two main points of the statement, 
including LTTE violence and the government's responsibility 
to handle paramilitaries, both in its subtitle and within 
the article.  Independent Sinhala Lankadeepa led with, "A 
strong warning from the Tokyo Co-Chairs: Grave consequences 
if violence does not end, solution should be a united Sri 
Lanka." 
 
¶4.   (U) On the other hand, independent Tamil and pro-LTTE 
media, while reporting on the co-chairs' condemnation of 
Tiger violence, emphasized the requirement for the 
government to disarm paramilitaries. The Tamil media 
specifically named the Karuna faction and the anti-LTTE 
Eelam People's Democratic Party as the parties in question. 
Having carried portions of the Co-chairs' statement first on 
December 19,  pro-LTTE Tamil Net (English) headlined, "GoSL 
handling of paramilitaries, LTTE violence, key issues for 
Sri Lanka peace, say Co-Chairs."  The article reported the 
co-chairs "recognized that activities of the paramilitary 
groups are among the causes for the deteriorating situation 
and urged `the Government to ensure that such groups cease 
their paramilitary activities, as a demonstration of its 
commitment to a peaceful way forward.' They also called on 
the LTTE `to put an immediate end to their on-going campaign 
of violence and again urge the LTTE to demonstrate their 
commitment to the Ceasefire Agreement and the peace 
process,' and warned, `Failure to demonstrate a willingness 
to change would not be without serious consequences.'" 
Independent Thinakkural, generally sympathetic toward the 
LTTE, led with "Talks should commence immediately without 
any delay or prevarication - Co-chairs."  Pro-LTTE Tamil 
daily Sudar Oli took an even more slanted approach, leading 
with: "The activities of the paramilitary forces are also 
cause for the deterioration of the situation: Co-chairs." 
More mainstream Tamil flagship paper, Virakesari, led with, 
"Government and the LTTE should immediately commence talks 
on the implementation of the CFA - Co-chairs." 
 
¶5.  (U) All television stations prominently carried the 
statement in their December 20 afternoon and evening news 
programs.  National Rupavahini television, in its fifth 
evening story, reported, "The European Union, the United 
States and several other countries called on the LTTE to put 
an immediate end to their ongoing campaign of violence and 
again urged them to demonstrate their commitment to the 
peace process," and noted "serious consequences" if the LTTE 
fail to demonstrate willingness to change.  In its third 
story, state owned ITN television news reported, "The Co- 
Chairs urge the LTTE to halt hostilities in the North and 
East," highlighting the LTTE-enforced boycott of the 
November 17 Presidential election.  Independent Maharaja 
Television (MTV) and its sister vernacular stations led with 
reports of the tense situation in Jaffna, adding that the co- 
chairs had condemned recent LTTE-instigated violence. In a 
second story specifically on the statement, MTV headlined, 
"Co-Chairs call for settlement based on a united Sri Lanka; 
welcome Japan's offer to host peace talks," displaying the 
Embassy's press release of the statement on screen. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Comment: The Government-owned and Sinhala 
nationalist media predictably focused on the elements of the 
Co-chairs' statement which found fault with the LTTE. 
Independent Tamil and pro-LTTE media fairly reported the co- 
chairs' call for the LTTE to end recent waves of violence, 
but gave more prominence to the paramilitaries line than did 
the original co-chairs' statement.  We expect editorial 
comment to follow in the days ahead, and will report 
accordingly.  End Comment. 
 
 
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