VZCZCXRO6124
OO RUEHBI RUEHCI
DE RUEHCG #2555/01 3171003
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131003Z NOV 06
FM AMCONSUL CHENNAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0428
INFO RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO IMMEDIATE 1274
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2071
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0536
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1053
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0981
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0108
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0053
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0107
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 4901
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 0641

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHENNAI 002555 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV IN CE
SUBJECT: MILITARY ATTACKS IN SRI LANKA: TAMIL NADU URGES CENTER TO 
"RETHINK AND FIND AN ANSWER" 
 
REF: A) Colombo 1884  B) New Delhi 7305 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Pro-Eelam Tamil rhetoric has again gone into high 
pitch in Tamil Nadu following the recent Sri Lankan army attacks in 
Tamil areas (ref a) and in anticipation of the upcoming India visit 
of Sri Lankan President Rajapakshe.  Chief Minister Karunanidhi 
cited the recent attacks on Tamil civilians and asked the question: 
"How long India is going to keep patience?"  He urged the Center to 
"rethink and find an answer" to the problem.  Top DMK sources tell 
post that the DMK will not embarrass the Center or the Congress on 
the issue, but they will ask Prime Minister Singh to diplomatically 
restrain the Government of Sri Lanka from continuing its military 
attacks.  Meanwhile, refugees continue to trickle into Tamil Nadu, 
with this year's arrivals now exceeding 16,000. END SUMMARY 
 
HOW LONG WILL INDIA KEEP PATIENCE?, ASKS KARUNANIDHI 
 
¶2. (SBU) On November 9, in a public statement titled "Sinhalese Army 
on the Rampage," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi said that 
"hundreds of Tamils staying as refugees have been brutally killed by 
bombings" at Mattakkallappu in Sri Lanka.  He said this occurred 
even before memories had faded of the gruesome attacks on innocent 
children in Sencholai a few months ago.  Pointing out that even a 
Norwegian peace team came under fire, Karunanidhi said, "I wish to 
bring to the notice of the Central Government the pertinent question 
which has now arisen as to how long India is going to keep patience. 
 The time is now ripe to rethink and find an answer."  Continuing in 
the same vein on November 11, Karunanidhi reportedly told the press 
corps in the Tamil Nadu city of Trichy that the Center should think 
of an appropriate solution to end the war in Sri Lanka, and that he 
would express his views on the situation to Prime Minister Singh 
when an opportunity arises. 
 
WE WANT TO PUT PRESSURE ON SRI LANKA, SAYS DMK MINISTER 
 
¶3. (SBU) Highly placed and influential DMK Treasurer and state Power 
Minister Arcot Veerasamy told post on November 13 that the Chief 
Minister's purpose is to urge Prime Minister Singh to put diplomatic 
pressure on Sri Lanka in order to restrain it from carrying out 
military attacks on the Tamil population.  "If the present trend 
continues," Veerasamy said, "the Tamil population will be wiped 
out."  He added that the DMK will not embarrass the GOI or the 
Congress party on the issue: "We understand the sensitivities the 
Congress party has, particularly after the (Rajiv Gandhi) 
assassination."   Veerasamy pointed out that since 1991 the DMK has 
stayed away from supporting the LTTE.  That policy will continue, he 
said. 
 
DMK PLEASED WITH PM SINGH'S COMMENT 
 
¶4. (SBU) Veerasamy mentioned that the DMK is pleased with the Prime 
Minister's assurances, made in response to Karunanidhi's November 9 
statement, that he is equally concerned over the human tragedy in 
Sri Lanka.  According to The New Indian Express newspaper 
(11/11/06), Union Shipping Minister T.R. Balu (DMK) met the PM on 
behalf of Karunanidhi to seek immediate, appropriate intervention by 
India to end the unprovoked and indiscriminate offensive of the Sri 
Lankan army against innocent Sri Lankan Tamils.  Balu handed over a 
copy of Karunanidhi's November 9 statement to the PM, whereupon the 
PM made his comments. 
 
JOURNALIST EXPECTS MORE ACTION BEFORE RAJAPAKSE VISIT 
 
¶5. (SBU) Senior Correspondent of New Indian Express, K.N. Arun sees 
Karunanidhi's statement in the context of the upcoming India visit 
of Sri Lanka President Rajapakse.  Pro-LTTE parties and 
organizations such as the MDMK of Vaiko, the Pattali Makkal Katchi 
(PMK) and the Dravida Kazhagam have raised objections to the visit 
of Rajapakse.  The MDMK has announced plans to hold a rally on 
November 17 in front of the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission in 
Chennai to protest the visit.  According to Arun, some of 
Karunanidhi's constituencies also have urged him to speak out on the 
issue, but Karunanidhi still has no intention of dictating terms to 
the Center.  Arun told post that before the Rajapakse visit takes 
place, the Prime Minister may consult with Karunanidhi, either 
directly or through National Security Advisor Narayanan. 
 
REFUGEES CONTINUE TO TRICKLE IN; NUMBER CROSSES 16,000 
 
¶6. (SBU) Meanwhile, Tamil refugees continue to trickle into Tamil 
 
CHENNAI 00002555  002 OF 002 
 
 
Nadu.  According to the Organization for Eelam Refugee 
Rehabilitation, 16,046 refugees have reached India since January. 
The flow had peaked in August when 5769 people landed.  In September 
it fell to 3749 and in October, perhaps due to rough sea conditions, 
the number dwindled to 735.  In the first 12 days of November 
another 134 people have arrived.  Tamil Nadu Rehabilitation 
Commissioner PWC Davidar (protect) told post that the numbers do not 
pose a major concern to the governments of India or Tamil Nadu. 
According to him, the DMK government is quietly doing its best to 
create favorable conditions to the refugees.  The Tamil Nadu Chief 
Secretary expressed the same views recently when we met with him on 
 
SIPDIS 
other subjects. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Citing contacts with recently arrived refugees, South 
Indian newspapers have prominently reported the harsh living 
conditions in Jaffna after the closure of the A-9 Highway. 
According to the reports, short supply has raised the price of rice 
from Rupees 35 to 150.  Likewise, kerosene is said to be sold at 
Rupees 150 and petrol at Rupees 500, forcing people to flee. 
 
DMK STILL NOT FOR CONFLICT WITH THE CENTER 
 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: In addition to pacifying some sections of his 
constituency through expressions of sympathy for the suffering 
Tamils of Sri Lanka, Karunanidhi seems to have a genuine desire to 
influence the GOI dialogue with Colombo - to the extent possible 
without alienating the sensitive Congress establishment.  Despite 
the strong words in Karunanidhi's November 9 statement, he is 
unlikely to allow the issue to develop into a conflict with the 
Center.  END COMMENT 
HOPPER