VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0324/01 0861903
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271903Z MAR 09
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6206
INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 0265
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2522

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000324 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV CE MOPS PREF PHUM UNSC
SUBJECT: U/SYG HOLMES BRIEFS MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY 
COUNCIL ON SRI LANKA 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On March 26, U/SYG for Humanitarian Affairs 
John Holmes briefed members of the Security Council on the 
situation in northern Sri Lanka.  He said the situation there 
was worsening and civilian casualties remained "tragically 
and unacceptably high."  The "informal interactive 
discussion" was not officially a meeting of the Security 
Council, due to Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese objections. 
The Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka attended and 
defended his government,s actions, saying that the military 
had intentionally slowed down its advance in order to 
safeguard civilians.  All Council members were present and 
called for full respect of international humanitarian law. 
Some - including France, UK, U.S, Mexico, Austria, Croatia, 
Costa Rica and U/SYG Holmes - called on both sides to agree 
to a humanitarian pause, while others - Russia, China, 
Vietnam and Japan - focused their attention only on the 
actions of the LTTE.  End summary. 
 
U/SYG HOLMES BRIEFS 
 
¶2. (SBU) Holmes began by saying the humanitarian situation in 
northern Sri Lanka deteriorated further after his briefing to 
the Council on February 27.  The LTTE have rejected calls to 
release civilians from their diminishing area of control, and 
have stepped up forced recruitment.  The government estimates 
less than 70,000 civilians remain in the area, while the UN 
estimates the trapped civilian population between 150,000 and 
190,000.  Holmes said civilian casualties remain "tragically 
and unacceptably high" and said several dozen civilians are 
killed each day.  He urged the government to refrain from 
firing heavy weapon into no-fire zones.  Regarding those 
trapped in LTTE-controlled territory, Holmes said the risks 
of disease and malnutrition were increasing, and those 
supplies that entered via the only available sea route option 
were insufficient to the need.  Although the ICRC is working 
to evacuate trapped civilians, the demand for evacuation 
exceeds capacity. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Turning to those civilians who had left the 
LTTE-occupied area, Holmes urged that they be treated 
according to the norms of international humanitarian law.  He 
noted continued UN concern regarding the transit camps (lack 
of freedom of movement for the IDPs, lack of information for 
family members and a continued military presence within the 
camps), as well as the pre-screening and screening areas. 
These latter areas remain a key focus of concern because of 
the lack of humanitarian access, and because of widespread 
rumors of disappearances and families being split up.  In 
concluding remarks, Holmes said it would be "very valuable" 
to have a humanitarian pause, and called on the international 
community to look for ways to convince the LTTE to lay down 
their weapons and allow for humanitarian access to the 
trapped population.  He also urged the government to show a 
credible commitment to minority rights and the 
decentralization of power. 
 
SRI LANKA RESPONDS 
 
¶4. (SBU) Sri Lankan PR Palihakkara said the military could 
overrun LTTE within days, but had decided not to do so 
because of its concern regarding civilian casualties.  He 
categorically denied that the military was firing heavy 
weapons into the no-fire zone, but then admitted that this 
may have occurred because of a response to LTTE firing from 
the no-fire zone.  Regarding access of international 
humanitarian workers, Palihakkara said the government did not 
have any difficulty with this from a policy perspective, but 
logistical problems remained.  He said Sri Lanka was working 
to increase humanitarian access and to increase the supply of 
medicine and food into the affected zone.  Palihakkara said 
the LTTE was looking for a ceasefire in order to rearm, 
although he expressed openness regarding the modalities a 
brief no-fire period.  He concluded by saying the Sri Lankan 
government understood that there was no military solution to 
this conflict.  It was precisely for this reason that the 
President launched an initiative to discuss devolution and 
minority rights. 
 
COUNCIL MEMBERS REACT 
 
¶5. (SBU) Council members all called for respect of 
international humanitarian law and condemned the actions of 
the LTTE.  China, Japan, Russia and Vietnam focused 
exclusively on the LTTE and did not press the government to 
do more regarding civilian casualties.  China, Russia and 
Vietnam expressly noted that the meeting was not an official 
Security Council meeting, and Sri Lanka was not on the agenda 
of the Security Council.  They emphasized the informal nature 
of the meeting. 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) France, UK, Croatia, Austria, U.S., Mexico and Costa 
Rica all called for a humanitarian pause.  While they all 
acknowledged the right of the government to deal with the 
terrorist threat of the LTTE, they also noted the 
government,s obligation to protect civilian life and to 
fully comply with all international obligations regarding the 
protection of civilians.  France and Mexico added that the 
Security Council should continue to monitor the situation 
closely.  The U.S., France and Austria expressed particular 
concern regarding the reported firing of heavy weapons by the 
government into no-fire zones.  All Council members thanked 
the Secretary-General and U/SYG Holmes for their continued 
action on this issue, and noted the importance of a political 
process in order to achieve a durable resolution to this 
conflict. 
Wolff