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O 100511Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001106 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID 
AID/W PLEASE PASS TO USAID/OFDA, USAID/ANE, USAID/CMM 
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PHUM PGOV PREL CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: HUMANITARIAN ACCESS COMMITTEE REVIEWS 
DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE EAST 
 
REF: A. COLOMBO 1093 
 
     ¶B. COLOMBO 509 
     ¶C. COLOMBO 390 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: UN Under Secretary General for 
Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, currently visiting Sri 
Lanka, attended the 11th Consultative Committee on 
Humanitarian Assistance (CCHA) meeting chaired by Minister of 
Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe on 
August 7.  Charge attended for the U.S. Mission and raised 
the issue of timely access for NGOs to recently resettled 
areas.  He requested a written reply to OFDA regional advisor 
William Berger's letter asking for GSL assurances on this 
issue.  The Ministry of Nation Building presented the GSL's 
Development Plan for the East. Presidential Advisor Basil 
Rajapaksa provided assurances that the GSL would focus on 
establishing effective civil administration before embarking 
on long term development projects.  EU and UN representatives 
and Charge noted the importance of addressing security 
issues, including reining in paramilitary groups, before 
launching a development plan.  The GSL announced the 
appointment of Civil-Military Liaison officers to implement 
CCHA policy decisions in the North and East.  Relevant 
agencies provided updates on logistical issues, including 
supply shipments to Jaffna and the status of ICRC observation 
of border checkpoints.  The Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) 
decided to expand checkpoint openings to 5 days per week. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Charge and PolOff attended the 11th CCHA meeting 
chaired by Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights 
Mahinda Samarasinghe on August 7.  Secretary of Defense 
Gothabaya Rajapaksa, Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, UN 
agencies, ICRC and relevant Government agencies were present. 
  UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs John 
Holmes, currently visiting Sri Lanka, also attended. 
 
Under Secretary General Holmes's Visit 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Holmes reported that his visit to Sri Lanka was 
going well and promised to be productive.  He commended 
CCHA's efforts to facilitate coordination on humanitarian 
issues.  At a dinner on August 7, however, Holmes told Charge 
that his trip to Jaffna was not useful as the GSL limited his 
contacts there to military officials.  He said the Government 
had stalled on allowing his visit to Sri Lanka for quite some 
time and noted that the GSL was sending him conflicting 
messages.  For example, he said Gothabaya and Basil were 
accommodating in meetings, while the Foreign Minister and 
Foreign Secretary were defensive of the GSL's record on human 
rights and humanitarian issues. 
 
New POCs on Humanitarian Issues 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The GSL announced that Civil-Military Liaison 
officers have been appointed for the LTTE-held Vanni, Jaffna 
and East.  Their mission will be to ensure that CCHA policy 
decisions are implemented and to serve as POCs on all 
humanitarian issues. 
 
Supplies Trickling into Jaffna 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The capacity to transport supplies to Jaffna is 
gradually improving.  A ship loaded with UN construction 
material recently arrived in Jaffna.  Committee members 
agreed that this was a promising start, but noted that 
 
COLOMBO 00001106  002 OF 003 
 
 
shipments needed to continue on a regular basis.  One 
obstacle is the shipping company's demand for partial payment 
in U.S. dollars rather than Sri Lankan rupees.  A ship is 
reportedly reserved and ready for further shipments once 
payment arrangements can be worked out.  Eight ships are 
currently being used to transport food and other supplies to 
Jaffna.  This allows for a capacity of 17,000 tons, but there 
is a need for a total capacity of 30,000 tons.  Participants 
noted that additional supplies would need to be stocked 
before the monsoon season. 
 
Border Checkpoint Hours Extended 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) ICRC reported that it is currently present at the 
Omanthai and Uyilankulam checkpoints on Mondays, Wednesdays 
and Fridays from 0900-1700.  Given concerns about security, 
ICRC is unwilling to resume a full time presence.  They have 
however, agreed to be present daily from August 8-17 to 
facilitate travel for a religious festival in Madhu.  Several 
participants argued that the limited opening of the crossing 
points was detrimental to traders and day laborers.  ICRC 
noted that it is not responsible for opening the checkpoints, 
only for observing them.  Gothabaya responded that the 
checkpoints would now be open 5 days a week, and that the 
ICRC could be present at its discretion. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) European Commission Head of Delegation Julian 
Wilson noted that more contact with the Liberation Tigers of 
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is needed on logistical issues.  He 
suggested that arrangements should be made to facilitate the 
transfer of fuel into the Vanni, perhaps by allowing those 
who transport it to document its use.  He also argued that 
medical supplies should not be categorized as sensitive items 
or be subjected to restrictions. 
 
NGO Harassment and Access to the East 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The Consortium for Humanitarian Agencies raised the 
issue of plainclothes policemen visiting NGOs to request 
information on employees.  Basil explained that parliamentary 
committees and embassies (sic) often request information on 
NGOs and plainclothes officers are sent to conduct those 
inquiries.  He said any individual can refuse access to the 
officers and can refuse to answer the officers' questions. He 
encouraged NGOs to ask for ID from the officers and to call 
their local police station if they have any questions or 
concerns about the inquiries. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Charge raised the issue of timely access for NGOs 
to recently resettled areas.  He requested a written reply to 
OFDA regional advisor William Berger's letter on the same 
topic and pointed out that international donors would likely 
be prepared to provide additional funding if such assurances 
can be provided in writing.  Basil replied that the GSL must 
know what NGOs are operating in the East and what they plan 
to do.  However, he said, once they sign an agreement with 
the Government Agent they may have access.  He also noted 
that a list of 21 NGOs has been pre-approved. Neither he nor 
Minister Samarasinghe directly addressed the issue of a 
written reply to Berger's letter. 
 
GSL Unveils Development Plan for the East 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) The Ministry of Nation Building presented the 
GSL's Development Plan for the East.  The generally 
unimpressive presentation gave background information on the 
 
COLOMBO 00001106  003 OF 003 
 
 
Eastern Province and detailed an ambitious list of 
infrastructure and other development projects that would 
require extensive donor funding.  Following the presentation, 
Basil expanded on the GSL's approach to development of the 
East.  He said the first priority was security.  Police 
presence would be increased in civilian areas, allowing the 
military to concentrate on areas of strategic importance.  He 
noted the need for more bilingual police officers and for 
interpreters in police stations and government offices. 
After security concerns are addressed, he said, development 
will be approached in two phases.  The first phase will be 
establishing effective civil administration, including ID 
cards, birth certificates, schools, and hospitals.  This 
effort will be managed by Minister of Public Administration 
Karu Jayasuriya.  The second phase will be long term 
development, including livelihood projects and 
infrastructure.  Basil emphasized that great care would be 
taken to resettle people in their original areas and not 
introduce outsiders in these areas.  He also stressed that 
the high security zone planned for the Muttur area would not 
displace any residents.  (Note: according to other 
information available to Embassy, ref A, there would, in 
fact, be about five thousand families displaced.)  Basil 
ended the development discussion by thanking donors and aid 
organizations for their funds and responsiveness and 
promising to follow through on issues like NGO access. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Wilson commented that the development presentation 
should be made, possibly in more detail, to the donor 
community at large and not just to the CCHA participants. 
Charge underscored the importance of a concerted effort to 
build institutions and strengthen governance in parallel with 
efforts to rebuild infrastructure.  EU and UN representatives 
and Charge noted that paramilitary groups, like the Karuna 
faction, must be dealt with before development can succeed. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The CCHA continues to be a generally 
effective forum for addressing and coordinating humanitarian 
policy.  The GSL's current development plan for the East is a 
starting point but needs to be expanded beyond basic 
infrastructure needs, however critical they may be.  Post 
will encourage the GSL to refine its development strategy, 
while at the same time addressing the core issues of security 
and establishment of effective civil administration. 
MOORE