VZCZCXRO5774
PP RUEHBI RUEHLMC
DE RUEHLM #0424/01 0740315
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 150315Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5661
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0753
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 9969
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6938
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 5016
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 2166
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 7512
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 5215
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1893
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000424 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOL/ILAB FOR TINA MCCARTER 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, DRL/IL FOR LAUREN HOLT 
 
MCC FOR S GROFF, D NASSIRY AND E BURKE 
 
TREASURY FOR LESLIE HULL 
 
E.O 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN PREL PHUM CE
SUBJECT:  SRI LANKA: U/S FORE COMMEMORATES INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY 
BY MEETING WITH WOMEN LEADERS 
 
REF: COLOMBO 285 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: During a March 8 visit to Colombo, Under Secretary for 
Management Henrietta Fore marked International Women's Day by 
meeting with a group of leading female entrepreneurs and senior 
executives.  Most participants offered their perspectives on the 
conflict in Sri Lanka and were unequivocal that resolving the 
country's civil crisis should be the highest priority.  Several said 
that the moderate, pro-peace ground held by most women is often not 
heard in public debate.  While noting that Sri Lanka is currently 
posting satisfactory economic growth, the women assessed that higher 
growth, more foreign direct investment, and broader opportunities 
for society at large would result if there were peace.  Embassy 
Colombo also commemorated International Women's Day by honoring 
Post's Sri Lankan nominee for the International Women of Courage 
Award.  End summary. 
 
FEMALE BUSINESS LEADERS SEEK PEACE DIVIDEND 
 
¶2. In Colombo March 8, visiting Under Secretary for Management 
Henrietta Fore met with a group of leading female entrepreneurs and 
senior managers representing the banking, insurance, apparel, 
advertising, trading and consumer services sectors.  The event, held 
on International Women's Day, allowed the discussants to air their 
political and economic concerns about Sri Lanka.  Responding to U/S 
Fore's question about which social, political and economic issues 
were most crucial to them, several of the women expressed the need 
for a stronger political process.  They blamed both the government 
and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for their roles in 
Sri Lanka's 25 year-old ethnic conflict.  The women felt, however, 
the LTTE deserved the bulk of the blame for not accepting government 
negotiating efforts in good faith. 
 
¶3.  The CEO of an insurance company said that often the opposing 
views of the nationalistic Sinhala organizations urging war and the 
international community calling for a peaceful settlement are 
loudest, and the middle ground is not heard.  Most women, she said, 
prefer reconciliation to conflict. 
 
¶4. The discussants also believed that businesses could play a 
supporting role to facilitate peace since they can reach all sectors 
and regions of Sri Lanka.  Businesses might be ideally placed to 
promote a devolution package by focusing on economic and social 
benefits, the discussion participants agreed.  One woman in the 
banking sector said there was a problem of public perception, with 
those seeking a peaceful solution viewed as "soft" on the LTTE.  She 
noted that peace would benefit the whole of Sri Lanka's population, 
and requested that the Embassy use its influence to help restore law 
and order in the country. 
 
CROSS-COMMUNITY INTEGRATION NECESSARY 
 
¶5. The female business leaders noted that while there is no glaring 
discrimination in the corporate sector based on ethnicity, the 
country should integrate more fully.  One executive elaborated, "We 
should begin to celebrate the different cultures and actively 
participate in each others' festivals," a practice which is 
currently not common.  U/S Fore encouraged them to begin such 
activities within their respective companies.  Several women also 
agreed that the use of English as a link language should expand. 
Speakers described the current segregation of Sinhalese and Tamil 
communities within the school system, which discourages children 
from the different communities from mixing.  The use of English in 
classroom instruction could minimize the differences between the 
ethnicities, the women entrepreneurs believed. 
 
¶6. Note: Most Sri Lankan schools are now segregated by ethnicity 
and/or religion, with the medium of instruction being the language 
of the majority at the school.  Even in some mixed community 
schools, there are separate streams for different language speakers. 
 However, the increasing number of private "international schools," 
generally only available to the middle or upper class, provide 
 
COLOMBO 00000424  002 OF 002 
 
 
English-medium education where children of all ethnicities mix 
freely.  The government is also attempting to introduce 
English-medium instruction in more schools to ease the problem in 
the future.  Nevertheless, after several decades of only local 
language instruction, it may take several more decades to develop a 
sufficient teaching staff capable of providing adequate English 
instruction.  End Note. 
 
BUSINESSES FILLING SOCIETY'S NEEDS 
 
¶7. A representative of one of Sri Lanka's leading apparel 
manufacture firms said society should focus more attention on the 
direct victims of the war, including war widows and their families. 
She also advocated expanding women's education and economic rights, 
and described her company's ?Women Go Beyond? program, which is 
trying to empower its mostly female workforce by identifying each 
individual's strengths and weaknesses and giving them skills and 
assistance to enhance their lives.  By assisting the workforce, her 
business has been able to reach families and communities. 
 
¶8.  U/S Fore stated that peace is about reaching people's hearts and 
minds.  She said an end to the civil conflict could increase 
educational opportunities for children and lead to improved living 
conditions.   She asked the group to coninue exploring their roles 
in peace-building andpromoting economic growth in Sri Lanka.  U/S 
For affirmed that the USG supports such endeavors, an cited the 
new Secretary of State's InternationalWomen of Courage Award as one 
type of recognitio.  She also asked that the discussants encourageother women within their businesses to pursue studes in the US. 
 
AMBASSADOR RECOGNIZES SRI LANKAN OMEN OF COURAGE NOMINEE 
 
¶9. In another event to commemorate International Women's Day, on 
March 8,Ambassador Blake recognized the Embassy's Sri Lankn 
nominee for the Secretary's International Wome of Courage Award, 
Ms. Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena.  He presented her with a certificate 
honoring her as an unstinting advocate for the rule of law, the 
independence of the Sri Lankan judiciary, and key institutions such 
as the Human Rights Commission and the National Police Commission. 
Ambassador Blake commended Ms. Pinto-Jayawardena for raising the 
profile of human rights protection both in Sri Lanka and 
internationally.  Several dailies covered Pinto-Jayawardena's 
recognition by the Department of State. 
 
¶10.  Under Secretary Fore has cleared on this cable. 
 
BLAKE