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UNCLAS COLOMBO 000201 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA (BOUCHER, CAMP), SCA/INS AND PRM 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID 
AID/W FOR ANE/SCA, DCHA/FFP (DWORKEN, KSHEIN) 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA (MORRISP, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, RKERR) 
ATHENS FOR PCARTER 
BANGKOK FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA (WBERGER) 
KATHMANDU FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA AND POL (SBERRY) 
GENEVA FOR RMA (NKYLOH, NHILGERT, MPITOTTI) 
USUN NEW YORK FOR ECOSOC (D MERCADO) 
SECDEF FOR OSD - POLICY 
PACOM ALSO FOR J-5 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS PREF PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CE
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 18 
 
Ref: A) Colombo 186,  B) Colombo 180,  C)Colombo 173,  D) Colombo 
166,  E) Colombo 157,  F) Colombo 152, G) Colombo 149, H) Colombo 
148, I) Colombo 145, J) Colombo 140 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On September 20, Sri Lankan Air Defenses shot down 
two light planes sent by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) 
on suicide missions to attack targets in the Colombo area.  The 
planes narrowly missed their targets.  The visit by UN U/SYG John 
Holmes made clear to both the Government and the LTTE that the 
international community is concerned about the treatment of 
conflict-affected civilians.  The International Committee for the 
Red Cross (ICRC) completed its fourth evacuation of wounded 
civilins from the safe zone on February 21; Government health 
facilities are reportedly overstretched by health needs of 
conflict-affected civilians.  End summary. 
 
LTTE Attempts Attack on Colombo 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) At approximately 8:30pm on February 20, two small aircraft 
took off from remaining LTTE-controlled territory east of 
Puttukkudiyiruppu (PTK) to conduct a raid on Colombo.  The 
Government shut off power to Colombo to thwart target identification 
by the incoming aircraft.  The Sri Lankan Air Defense System's 
anti-aircraft artillery began firing into the air above the city as 
the planes entered Colombo airspace at roughly 9:45pm.  One of the 
planes, whose target may have been the Sri Lankan Air Force 
Headquarters in downtown Colombo, exploded on impact with the nearby 
Internal Revenue Department building.  Two persons were killed and 
about 50 injured.  The second plane was downed near the Colombo 
airport.  Both planes reportedly contained C4, indicating the raid 
was intended as a suicide mission. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The LTTE's desperate attempt to gain a "victory" in the 
face of its military defeat in the North surprised many who believed 
(as the Government had previously claimed) that all remaining LTTE 
airstrips had been captured as the military advanced on most former 
LTTE-controlled territory.  The LTTE was believed to have at most 
five planes; it is not known with certainty how many, if any, 
aircraft the LTTE still has. 
 
Results of UN U/SYG Holmes Visit 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) UN U/SYG for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief 
Coordinator Sir John Holmes ended his three day visit to Sri Lanka 
on February 21.  His public pronouncements, while widely reported by 
the press, did not rock the boat.  However Holmes' private meetings 
with senior Government officials provided an opportunity for the UN 
to push for continued access to internally displaced persons (IDPs) 
fleeing the conflict zone and for improved coordination overall with 
the Government on humanitarian issues. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On February 22, UN Resident Representative Neil Buhne 
discussed the completed UN U/SYG visit with Ambassador.  He noted 
that Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa confirmed to U/SYG that 
the Government will not try to separate the cadres from the IDPs, 
but instead will wait for them to "trickle out" along with the 
civilians and screen them out later.  Buhne reported that the 
 
Government reiterated its strong commitment to provide daily food 
shipments to 70,000 or more IDPs. However, Buhne highlighted that 
medical issues are a continuing concern for humanitarian agencies; 
only Panadol (acetaminophen) and a few other supplies were permitted 
into the safe zone in the February 19-20 shipment by the 
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).  He noted that 
access to the IDP camps by the UN and NGOs is good, and that access 
to IDP screening and registration is somewhat improved.  UNHCR now 
has full access to Omanthai where IDP registration is taking place, 
but neither UN nor ICRC are permitted in Kilinochchi where IDPs are 
being screened for arms.  Buhne conceded it was possible IDPs could 
"disappear" between Kilinochchi and Vavuniya, but said UN protection 
experts in Vavuniya have not heard many credible reports of 
disappearances. 
 
¶6. (SBU) According to Buhne, the Government agreed that IDPs who 
have identification cards will be granted some freedom to move in 
and out of the camps, "but not complete freedom."  Buhne believes 
this could represent progress.  However, post believes this could 
also indicate the Government intends to enact similar restrictions 
as seen in Sirukandal and Kalimoddai camps in Mannar.  The UN and 
Embassy have raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of 
movement in these camps. 
 
Assistance to IDPs 
------------------ 
 
¶7.  (U) The ICRC completed its fourth medical evacuation from 
Mullaitivu on February 21, returning approximately 400 wounded to 
Trincomalee.  This brings total medical evacuations since February 
11 to approximately 1600.  A representative of the US Mission 
arrived in Trincomalee on February 22, and will meet with evacuated 
civilians. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) On February 20, Ambassador held a meeting with Health 
Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.  De Silva described additional 
measures taken to support IDP populations in Vavuniya, including 
eventual placement of 250 new doctors in the Vanni Region, creation 
of a Government health post at each of the transit camps, and the 
dispatch of a mobile laboratory to Vavuniya.   De Silva also noted 
that all local hospitals in the north were operating at maximum 
capacity and that their ability to respond is constrained by the 
tight security in the area and fear of suicide attacks.  He 
requested additional supplies to meet the surge in needs 
(preventative and curative), and potentially the need for additional 
doctors and mobile infrastructure (examination tents) as IDPs were 
now occupying most of the vacant buildings in Vavuniya. (Note: an 
NGO contact reports that the Vavuniya Hospital is now overstretched, 
but that hospital staff have been instructed to submit requests to 
the Ministry of Health, not work directly with international 
organizations.) 
 
¶9.  (U) USAID-funded NGO partner United Methodist Committee on 
Relief (UMCOR) reported that they were able to visit four transit 
sites in Vavuniya last week.  Cluster teams (UN/NGO interagency 
coordination meetings on protection, shelter, water/sanitation, 
etc.) are responding to the basic needs of the displaced, however, 
UMCOR reports that some gaps are appearing in the shelter and 
sanitation sectors.  Family separation remains an acute problem. 
 
¶10.  (U) Food into Safe Zone: WFP continues to work with the 
Government on use of two tugboats now in Trincomalee with the 
potential to transport up to 300 MT of food per week to the safe 
zone.  At present, the ICRC ferry has been able to take 10 MTs per 
trip.  A vessel leaving on February 23 will carry 8 MTs of wheat 
flour, and 1 MT each of oil and sugar.  ICRC advised that the 
Assistant Government Agent in Puthumathalan (within LTTE-controlled 
area) has people well organized for food distribution, as well as 
fishing boats to take the food from the tugs to the beach. 
 
¶11. (U) Food to Vavuniya District IDP sites: Temporary kitchen 
facilities are being set up in all the transit sites.  WFP has begun 
releasing dry rations for each site, working under agreements with 
local NGOs that pick up the food, deliver it to the sites, and 
oversee food preparation with the IDPs.  WFP is awaiting final 
approval of its request for $3.1 million in CERF funds for the 
procurement of local rice. 
 
Reported Civilian Casualties 
---------------------------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) The UN relayed a report of shelling of the perimeter of 
the safe zone on the night of February 22.  The UN cannot determine 
the source of the shelling, and does not yet have information on any 
possible casualties.  Tamil sources from within the LTTE-controlled 
area claim 125 civilians killed and 302 injured on February 20-22. 
Reportedly, 23 persons reached Government-controlled territory on 
February 22. (Note: Such reports from Tamil sources cannot be 
confirmed and are frequently exaggerated.) 
 
MOORE