VZCZCXRO0455
OO RUEHBI
DE RUEHLM #0339/01 0851046
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O 261046Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9656
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1032
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RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 0986
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3350
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000339 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL AORC MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: FOREIGN MINISTER CONVOKES PERM 5 
AMBASSADORS FOR DIALOGUE ON HUMANITARIAN SITUATION 
 
REF: COLOMBO 322 
 
¶1.  (SBU) In a bid to show that briefings to the UN Security 
Council on Sri Lanka are not needed, Sri Lankan Foreign 
Minister Rohita Bogollagama convoked the Ambassadors of the 
permanent members of the Council, Japan and India for a 
dialogue on March 25 with Senior Presidential Advisor Basil 
Rajapaksa and other key ministers on the humanitarian 
situation in Sri Lanka.  Minister Samarasinghe detailed 
improvements to IDP screening and registration, IDP camp 
demilitarization and access, and freedom of movement. 
Presidential Advisor Rajapaksa promised two IDP camps in 
Mannar would be closed by April 30, while an additional 1,000 
metric tons of food would go to the IDPs in the safe zone 
within the next two weeks.  Foreign Secretary Kohona 
expressed concern that the UN High Commissioner for Human 
Rights had greatly exaggerated the extent of civilian 
casualties in her statement of March 13. Ambassador responded 
that numerous credible reports from within the safe zone as 
well as repeated ICRC evacuations of civilians with shrapnel 
wounds corroborate UN reports of significant civilian 
casualties from shelling.  Rajapaksa welcomed a proposed 
visit by UN Special Rapporteur for IDPs Walter Kaelin.  End 
Summary 
 
Responding to Holmes Suggestions 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Bogollagama opened by stressing the importance of 
dialogue and noting the GSL's appreciation of the work of the 
UN and ICRC.  At Bogollagama's suggestion, Minister of 
Disaster Management and Human Rights Samarasinghe explained 
that the GSL welcomes constructive suggestions from the 
international community.  He highlighted that 52,000 
civilians from the north have crossed into 
Government-controlled areas where they are now being cared 
for in interim camps until they can be resettled.  He 
detailed the following measures the GSL has taken to respond 
to suggestions made by UN U/SYG John Holmes: 
 
- The GSL had put in place more transparent screening and 
registration procedures for IDPs once they come into 
government-controlled areas.  (Note: Samarasinghe did not 
provide specifics.) 
 
- The GSL had reduced military presence in the interim camps 
and the Ministry of Relief Services has assumed over-all 
responsibility for the camps. 
 
- The GSL has significantly improved access to the camps so 
that UN agencies and their "their preferred NGO partners" 
enjoy free access and work side-by-side with the GSL. 
 
- The GSL was working to put in place a system of ID cards 
that would allow IDPs greater freedom of movement in and out 
of the camps.  Indian High Commissioner Prasad welcomes 
measures to provide greater freedom of movement and suggested 
that the GSL allow postal and phone services to enable IDPs 
to communicate with loved ones and friends.  Basil Rajapaksa 
responded that internet and postal services already exist in 
several of the camps, while the GSL is working to provide 
phone service.  He remarked that since most IDPs have no 
funds, the GSL is prepared to finance some calls per month, 
per family, but has not yet figured out who can pay for the 
balance. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Ambassador asked what arrangements were being made 
to accommodate new IDPs since existing camps already are 
overcrowded.  Basil responded that the GSL needs the help of 
the UN to get new camps ready.  The GSL itself has 15 camps 
 
COLOMBO 00000339  002 OF 003 
 
 
and is building more temporary camps.  The UNHCR also is 
building more camps.  But Basil urged the Ambassadors to 
suggest to the UN that the UN fund local Sri Lanka NGOs to 
help build more camps since these NGOs have extensive 
experience from the tsunami.  Ambassador suggested that since 
many areas of Mannar reportedly were ready for resettlement, 
the GSL might begin resettlement right away to those areas to 
relieve crowding.  Rajapaksa responded indirectly by saying 
that two camps already in Mannar would be closed by April 30 
(comment: this would be welcome since the residents of these 
camps have been in near-detention conditions for well over a 
year).  Ambassador also noted that demining had been slowed 
by the failure of the Defense Ministry to approve demining 
NGOs and their staff for work in Mannar.  Rajapaksa responded 
that the MOD had now approved such NGOs. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Ambassador asked about reports of disappearances 
from the camps that some had alleged were abductions by the 
many paramilitaries operating in Vavuniya.  Rajapaksa 
expressed surprise at such reports, noting that all IDPs are 
registered before entering the camps so it should be easy to 
determine if any have disappeared.  He requested specifics 
which Ambassador undertook to provide. (Note: such reports 
came from a recent EU Mission to the camps.  Embassy has 
asked the EU to share its information with the government). 
 
Food and Medicine for Safe Zone 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The Commissioner General for Essential Services 
reviewed recent GSL efforts to provide food and medicine to 
the safe zone (reported in embassy sitreps).  He said the 
President had directed that an additional 1,000 metric tons 
of food, vegetables, powdered milk, and vegetable oil be 
delivered to the safe zone well before the Tamil and Sinhala 
New Year's celebration on April 13 and 14.  Rajapaksa added 
that the GSL was determined to provide sufficient food and 
would approve any other items that could not be used for 
military purposes by the LTTE. 
 
Shelling 
--------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Noting that the Ambassador and several other 
Ambassadors had expressed concern over Sri Lankan military 
shelling of the safe zone, Bogollagama asked the Sri Lankan 
Army Director of Operations to brief on Sri Lankan military 
operations in and near the safe zone.  After reviewing the 
military's progress in reducing the area controlled by the 
LTTE, the Director emphasized that local commanders were 
prohibited from firing artillery into the safe zone. 
Nonetheless, the LTTE continued to fire artillery out of the 
safe zone and use civilians as human shields. He repeated 
that the Sri Lankan military is taking "utmost care" to avoid 
civilian casualties.  Ambassador thanked the Director for his 
assurances.  Ambassador noted that the U.S. and most other 
countries are well aware that the LTTE has prevented 
civilians from leaving the safe zone, in some cases by 
shooting them, has forcibly recruited children as young as 
twelve years old, and has placed heavy weapons amongst 
civilian populations.  Nonetheless, it is of the utmost 
importance that the army exercise maximum restraint and not 
fire into the safe zone, both because of the large number of 
casualties that have resulted, but also because such 
casualties gave the LTTE propaganda opportunities to push for 
cease-fires or political negotiations while undercutting 
U.S., Norwegian and other efforts to pressure the LTTE to 
release the civilians. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona expressed concern 
 
COLOMBO 00000339  003 OF 003 
 
 
that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had greatly 
exaggerated the extent of civilian casualties in her 
statement of March 13.  He said that UN statements that 2/3 
of documented casualties since late January had occurred in 
the no fire zone were false.  He said that government, with 
the assistance of the ICRC, has evacuated by sea and other 
means 4,120 sick and injured persons.  The UN's figure of 
7,241 injuries to civilians could not therefore credibly be 
established.  Why were there no pictures of casualties, he 
asked?  Turning to the Ambassador, he questioned the source 
of the UN and other reports of extensive civilian casualties. 
 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Ambassador responded that the UN could speak for 
itself, but that numerous credible independent sources inside 
the safe zone provided daily reports and that the UN did not 
rely on TamilNet figures which were often exaggerated.  The 
Ambassador also pointed out that many of the 4,120 evacuated 
by the government and ICRC had shrapnel wounds, a clear sign 
of artillery and mortar use in the safe zone.  Kohona 
suggested some of those might be from the LTTE shelling its 
own people to frame the government.  Ambassador acknowledged 
that possibility, but also said that relations between the 
civilians and the LTTE were already fragile as a result of 
the shootings that had already taken place of those 
attempting to escape.  Civilians in the safe zone would know 
if the shells came from within the safe zone and would 
further agitate against the LTTE if this were so. 
 
Improved Media Access 
---------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU)  Ambassador and other representatives suggested that 
if the GSL is confident its own military is not shelling the 
safe zone, it should allow independent media into the safe 
zone.  Rajapaksa responded that teams from the BBC and the 
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation would be traveling up the 
A9 to visit the front lines on March 26.  He promised to 
consider carefully future requests for media access to the 
safe zone with the understanding that the GSL obviously could 
not guarantee their safety given the LTTE's presence. 
 
Kaelin Visit 
------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) In the same spirit of transparency, Ambassador 
noted that the UN Special Rapporteur for IDPs Walter Kaelin 
had sought GSL approval to visit as soon as possible. 
Ambassador remarked Kaelin's visit could help the GSL address 
any lingering problems with the camps in Vavuniya, after 
which Kaelin could issue a public statement with his 
assessment of conditions.  Such a statement would help the 
GSL to counter claims that the Vavuniya camps are 
"concentration camps" and would help encourage the LTTE to 
let the civilians go from the safe zone.  Basil Rajapaksa 
said Kaelin would be welcome.  Ambassador subsequently 
conveyed this to the UN Mission in Colombo. 
BLAKE