VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLM #0118/01 0340313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030313Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9291
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2600

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000118 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/RD/SCA, DS/DSS/ITA, CA AND SCA/INS 
NEW DELHI FOR LEGAL ATTACHE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC CASC PTER
SUBJECT: EMBASSY COLOMBO EAC MEETING 02/02/2009 RE SECURITY 
DURING SRI LANKAN INDEPENDENCE DAY EVENTS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: AmEmbassy Colombo convened a meeting of the 
core Emergency Action Committee (EAC) on February 2, 2009. 
The EAC discussed post's security posture and guidance to the 
expatriate American community in light of the upcoming Sri 
Lankan Independence Day celebrations and the possibility of 
terrorist attacks aimed at disrupting the planned events. End 
summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On February 2, 2009, AmEmbassy Colombo convened a 
meeting of the core EAC.  Present for the meeting were the 
Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, Regional Security 
Officer, Regional Affairs Officer, Political Officer, 
Economic Officer, Management Officer, Consular Officer, USAID 
Director, Defense Attache', and Office of Defense Cooperation 
Chief.  The agenda items for the meeting were: 
 
-- Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) security measures for the 
official event on Wednesday, February 4 
 
-- Attendance by AmEmbassy officials at the official event 
 
-- GSL security arrangements in Colombo and its environs 
during the week of the event (February 2 - 8) 
 
-- GSL security arrangements for the "Deyata Kirula" 
exhibition scheduled from February 4 - 8. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The GSL will mark the 61st anniversary of Sri 
Lanka's independence on February 4, 2009. This year, as in 
past years, the GSL will celebrate the occasion with a large 
ceremony showcasing the GSL's military forces, the venue for 
which is the Galle Face Green. Galle Face Green is located 
approximately half a mile north of the Chancery and 
approximately 300 yards north of the American Center. The 
Ambassador and Defense Attache' received invitations to the 
event and post expects that other foreign ambassadors or high 
commissioners, as well as GSL dignitaries, will attend the 
ceremony. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The GSL's military forces have liberated areas of 
the country that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) 
formerly controlled, and have placed the LTTE in a desperate 
situation. Last year at this time, the LTTE controlled a 
large swath of Sri Lanka's Northern Province, with the 
exception of the Jaffna peninsula. However, this year GSL's 
military achievements have forced the LTTE into an 
ever-shrinking area of approximately 300 square kilometers 
(as of February 2), located in the northeastern quadrant of 
the Mullaitivu District in the Northern Province. The LTTE 
may try to divert attention from the North and demonstrate 
that it remains a viable fighting force. Consequently, the 
possibility exists that LTTE operatives in the South 
(including Colombo) may carry out attacks to disrupt the 
Independence Day celebration or other events related to the 
holiday. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Regarding security for the official ceremony, the 
RSO noted that GSL security forces are on high alert, 
anticipating that the LTTE will try to disrupt the ceremony. 
Security precautions for the ceremony, scheduled for the 
morning of February 4, will be stringent. GSL security will 
conduct bomb sweeps and guard the venue on a 24-hour basis. 
The navy will patrol the sea adjacent to the site. Security 
forces will strictly control access to the event. Police and 
military forces will close and cordon adjacent roads and only 
invited guests may access the area. It will be difficult for 
a suicide bomber, either on foot or in a vehicle, to gain 
access to the area and attack the event or its participants. 
The presence of western government dignitaries (ambassadors, 
high commissioners, defense attaches, etc.) may add to the 
security of the event, since the LTTE has never intentionally 
attacked western government officials. Some EAC members 
conjectured that the LTTE may now be less likely to consider 
the safety of western dignitaries who may be in proximity to 
an attack on a GSL target. However, the EAC concurred that 
available information, absent a specific threat to the event, 
did not preclude the Ambassador and Defense Attache' from 
attending the official ceremony. The Ambassador agreed and 
they will attend the ceremony. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The RSO advised the EAC that police sources were 
worried about possibility of LTTE suicide cadres attacking 
the security forces stationed at the numerous checkpoints 
leading into the high security zones. Other EAC members added 
that GSL sources believed the rehearsals for the official 
ceremony are potential targets for an LTTE attack as well, 
with large numbers of military personnel practicing for the 
ceremony. Overall, the threat to Embassy employees (American 
 
or local) and to the Amcit expatriate community remains being 
caught in proximity to an attack on a host government target. 
Although this is the same threat about which post already 
provides warnings, the EAC concurred that it would be prudent 
to reiterate the threat in an updated Warden message that 
highlights this week's activities. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Another event taking place in Colombo in connection 
with Independence Day is the "Deyata Kirula" (Crowning the 
Nation) exhibition at the Bandaranaiake Exhibition Hall. The 
Public Diplomacy (PD) section planned to erect a booth at the 
exhibition, at the GSL's invitation. The EAC recommended that 
the RSO visit the venue, assess the security arrangements, 
and recommend if PD should proceed with its plans. The RSO 
toured the venue soon thereafter. RSO observed that the event 
combined all of the types of situations that post advises 
Mission personnel and expatriate Amcits to avoid - that is, 
large public gatherings and GSL economic, political, military 
or police personalities and installations. Therefore, the RSO 
recommended that PD cancel its planned exhibit. The DCM and 
Ambassador concurred with the RSO's recommendation. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Post will advise the official and expatriate 
American communities of the following: 
 
-- Avoid the Galle Face Green area for the duration of this 
week. 
 
-- Avoid large public gatherings, such as the Deyata Kirula 
exhibition scheduled for February 4 - 8. 
 
-- Limit unnecessary movements in Colombo for the rest of the 
week due to the increased likelihood of attacks as well as 
major traffic disruptions. 
 
¶9. (U) Post will continue to monitor the security environment 
and will report further developments, if any, septel.  POC 
for this message is RSO Michael V. Perkins, who may be 
contacted at 94.11.249.8885, 94.11.249.8888 (MSG Post 1 after 
regular business hours), or via the classified and 
unclassified email systems. 
Blake