VZCZCXRO8614
OO RUEHBI
DE RUEHLM #0507/01 1271247
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071247Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9942
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1165
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0241
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 3811
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1642
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 8644
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 6879
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4953
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3008
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 4914
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4020
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 9272
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 6580
RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 1121
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3501
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDRUSARPAC FT SHAFTER HI//APCW/APOP//
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J3/J332/J52//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000507 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA (BOUCHER), 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: PREF MOPS PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CE
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 68 
 
REF:  A) Colombo 501 B) Colombo 492 C) Colombo 484 D) Colombo 477 E) 
Colombo 470 F) Colombo 469 G) Colombo 464 H) Colombo 459 I) Colombo 
456 J) Colombo 454 K) Colombo 448 and previous 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: President Mahinda Rajapaksa briefed the diplomatic 
corps on May 7 regarding the conclusion of the war with the LTTE and 
the Government's intentions of responding to humanitarian and 
development needs in the North.  An ICRC ferry successfully reached 
the conflict zone on May 7 to offload food and limited medical 
supplies and to evacuate wounded and sick civilians.  The Sri Lankan 
Army is pressing further south in the safe zone, and has been facing 
LTTE fire and suicide bombings.  OFDA Regional Advisor reports 
various problems at the Manik Farms location, where most new 
arrivals from the conflict zone reside.  END SUMMARY. 
 
President Calls for International Support 
of Development in the North 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) President Rajapaksa briefed the diplomatic corps on May 7 on 
the situation in the safe zone and development plans in the north. 
He said the war against the LTTE is rapidly reaching its conclusion, 
which he hopes will create space for democracy to take hold again in 
the north.  He noted the government had taken military action 
against the LTTE only as a last resort, after years of efforts to 
engage them in meaningful negotiations failed.  With the LTTE now 
confined to an area of less than six square kilometers, the 
President said he has directed government forces to follow a policy 
of zero civilian casualties, and to that end the use of heavy 
weapons and aerial attacks by government forces has been halted.  He 
claimed that a ceasefire would be "redundant" because during three 
previous pauses in fighting the LTTE released no civilians.  He 
characterized military actions currently underway as one of the 
greatest rescue operations in history.  The President urged friendly 
nations to bring pressure on the LTTE to lay down arms and release 
the remaining civilians in the safe zone.  Likewise, he called on 
the international community to encourage Sri Lankans residing in 
their countries to bring pressure on LTTE to release the civilians. 
 
 
¶3.  (U) Turning to reconstruction efforts, he thanked the 
international community, UN, and ICRC for their humanitarian 
assistance to date.  He said as soon the civilians are free, the 
government will concentrate its efforts on the long-term development 
genda in the north.  He committed to undertaking mjor 
infrastructure improvements and stressed tha resettlement will 
depend on rapid demining.  Other priorities will be livelihoods 
support and the rehabilitation of former LTTE combatants.  He 
expressed hope that the international community would join the 
government in resettling and developing the north.  He said the 
government plans to hold elections for the Jaffna municipal council 
and for local government and town councils in Vavuniya as early as 
possible, with a target of calling for nominations later this month. 
 Finally, he called on the international community to be realistic 
in its expectations and to not "subjugate the aspirations and aims 
of the Sri Lankan people," but rather to join forces with the 
government in its reconstruction efforts. 
 
 
COLOMBO 00000507  002 OF 003 
 
 
ICRC FERRY UPDATE 
----------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The ICRC-flagged ferry "Green Ocean" departed on May 6 for 
the conflict zone, but needed to wait the entire morning of May 7 
for the fighting to cease before attempting to approach the "landing 
site" offshore of the conflict zone.  The ferry carried 26-27 MTs of 
food and some medicine (drugs, but no surgical/disposables for 
treating war-wounded casualties).  At 1330 today, May 7, ICRC began 
bringing evacuees onto the ferry, with an estimated time of 
departure of 1700. ICRC estimates that among earlier evacuees 
(approximately 13,000 people) there are 1,800-2,000 people still 
being treated in hospitals. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) There are extreme and growing difficulties providing 
assistance to civilians trapped in the conflict zone; the risks to 
aid workers are sky-rocketing.  It may soon be too unsafe to 
continue these operations.  However, Presidential Advisor Basil 
Rajapaksa assured Charge on May 7 that the ICRC would have 
uninterrupted use of the Green Ocean ferry from now on. (Note: Until 
now, ICRC has only had use of the ferry for four days each week.) 
 
MILITARY UPDATE 
-------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) A Sri Lankan Army contact noted the 58 Division captured a 
portion of the LTTE earthwork defenses and is consolidating its 
gains.  Tough resistance continues, likely from hardcore LTTE 
cadres.  The contact reports "raining" LTTE mortar fires and LTTE 
artillery.  The LTTE dispatched 2-3 suicide bombers yesterday in 
fighting within the "safe zone" resulting in heavy casualties on 
both sides.  The 53 Division advanced about 300 meters southward but 
has not yet reached the bund.  The Sri Lankan Air Force reported 
that Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) coverage showed LTTE back-hoes 
and civilians still constructing a second defensive berm, but only 
the eastern side is near completion.  During an attempt to capture a 
3-4 man LTTE team in the Vavuniya jungles yesterday, one of the 
cadres also detonated a suicide bomb.  No civilians were able to 
flee overland. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) A Navy contact reported no Sea Tiger engagements.  This 
source reported that a number of civilians were able to escape in 
3-4 boats early this morning, May 7.  Since the Sea Tiger patrols 
did not attempt to stop them, the Navy suspects they might be LTTE 
family members.  The Navy is taking them to Pulmoddai.  The Navy 
source believed that the Sea Tigers have about 10 suicide craft and 
5-7 medium-sized craft remaining, as well as a large number of 
fishing boats equipped with machine guns.  The LTTE is using the 
fishing boats for its patrols of the coast line. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) An Air Force contact reported UAV coverage shows about 2 
kilometers distance between the northernmost civilians and forward 
troops.  He said the Army is moving mostly at night, suffering 40-50 
casualties a night.  He estimated Army casualties last night were 
approximately 60.  He advised that UAV coverage showed the Army had 
captured a center-west portion of the defensive berm.  UAV coverage 
has not observed LTTE tank or artillery firing in the last 3-4 days; 
the source had seen weapons mounted on civilian vehicles.  The 
 
COLOMBO 00000507  003 OF 003 
 
 
source further notes that UAV coverage showed 53 Division is making 
good progress moving along the eastern shore of the Nanthi Kadal 
lagoon.  The source added that last night's UAV coverage showed the 
front lines of the Army generally about 100-150 meters north of the 
LTTE earthwork defenses. 
 
PROBLEMS WITH MANIK FARMS SITES 
------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) On May 6, the USAID/OFDA regional advisor reported poor 
camp planning at Manik Farms.  The regional advisor noted that many 
tents in zone 2 are being built in lowland areas prone to floods 
during the rainy season.  The sites are also highly dependent on 
water supplied from bowsers, which is expensive and therefore 
unsustainable.  At a May 6 meeting with International Organization 
for Migration (IOM) staff based Vavuniya, IOM reported that an 
estimated 85 percent of the IDP population at Manik Farms do not use 
the latrines built at camp sites; open defecation has created 
sanitation problems. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) UN Resident Coordinator Neil Buhne reported to OFDA 
regional advisor that the Government has made the decision to 
accommodate additional arrivals at Manik Farms zone 4, a new site 
which is being cleared.  Humanitarian agencies surveyed this site in 
2008 and communicated to the Government (including UN Humanitarian 
Coordinator John Holmes during his recent visit) that this site, as 
with the other Manik Farms locations, is nsuitable for 
accommodating large numbers of IDP.  (Comment: Should the 
Government proceed and transport new arrivals to this area, the 
agencies are however likely to provide needed aid while registering 
their disagreement with Government authorities). 
 
¶10.  (U) Embassy is closed tomorrow for a local holiday.  We will 
provide an e-mail update to SCA in lieu of the sitrep. 
 
MOORE