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PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHNEH
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P 281105Z APR 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000850 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A 
 
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: SRI LANKA UNREST, TERRORISM; NEW 
DELHI. 
 
This countrywide cable reports on relevant media 
reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. 
The Mission reports on English-language media via email 
through the daily "Early Edition" summary. 
 
---------------- 
SRI LANKA UNREST 
---------------- 
 
¶1. "CEASEFIRE OR TEMPORARY TRUCE?" editorial in April 28 
centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT: "The temporary de- 
escalation of violence in Sri Lanka has come as a relief 
to many political parties in India.... What caused Sri 
Lanka to take this step? Did pressure from India play a 
role? Or did the central government in India put in a 
political request to Sri Lanka in order to save a 
political ally's future (the DMK party in Tamil Nadu). Or 
was it international pressure on the Lankans? One has to 
wait for answers to all these questions." 
 
¶2. "SRI LANKA WINS THE WAR, BUT..." op-ed analysis in April 
28 Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAL by Dr. 
Shantishree Pandit, professor of political science: 
"China has congratulated Sri Lanka for its victorious 
expedition against the LTTE. China had provided modern 
arms to Lanka for the war. In addition, China is also 
helping Sri Lanka financially, with a fivefold increase- 
to $1billion-in support over the last year. China is also 
helping Sri Lanka build its military infrastructure. 
India needs to take a firm stand, therefore, in regard to 
the Sri Lankan problem and its repercussions felt so 
strongly in Tamil Nadu." 
 
¶3. "POLITICAL SETTLEMENT ONLY WAY OUT IN LANKA," op-ed in 
April 28 independent, centrist NAVBHARAT TIMES Hindi 
daily by columnist Avdesh Kumar: "The Sri Lankan 
government's victory over LTTE is imminent. It was clear 
ever since the government forces captured Killinochi last 
year.... Both the government and LQ%QsQce is possible as long 
as one large ethnic group feels short-changed." 
 
¶4. "THE TIGER IS SNARED THIS TIME," op-ed in April 28 
nationalist DAINIK HINDUSTAN Hindi daily by columnist 
Praveen Kumar: "The Tamil tigers are responsible for the 
deaths of over 70,000 people in Sri Lanka. V. 
Prabhakaran, the LTTE supreme, is billed as one of the 
worst terrorist-criminals in the world. But whatever the 
world may think of the man, his subjects worship him. It 
is being said that Prabhakaran has already gone 
underground and this present action by the Lanka 
government will not yield his head. Prabhakaran is not 
even afraid of death, and he and his cadre are forever 
ready with their cyanide capsules. Truly they are a 
formidable lot, but the battle is now at a decisive 
stage, and the tiger seems to be have been snared this 
 
NEW DELHI 00000850  002 OF 002 
 
 
time." 
 
--------- 
TERRORISM 
--------- 
 
¶5. "OSAMA AND PRABHAKARAN: DEATH MYSTERY BEGINS," 
editorial in April 28 centrist Gujarati daily DIVYA 
BHASKAR: "While President Zardari has said that the 
dreaded fuQiQ;T&Qn cornering 
Prabhakaran?  We are equally concerned because both these 
men are representatives of extremist ideologies who have 
spread the tentacles of their nefarious activities in a 
way that has claimed the lives of innocent citizens. 
Although the Sri Lankan army is determined to crush this 
menace once and for all, Zardari faces a dilemma as he 
has been put on notice by the U.S. itself to act against 
Bin Laden and Al Qaeda." 
BURLEIGH