VZCZCXRO9927
OO RUEHBI
DE RUEHLM #0557/01 1411144
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211144Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0024
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1206
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0280
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 3853
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1693
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 8701
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 6935
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4994
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3067
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 4953
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4059
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 9324
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 6630
RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 1160
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3544
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//
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000557 
 
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 ECON
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 78 
 
REF:  A) Colombo 549 B) Colombo 543 C) Colombo 539 D) Colombo 535 E) 
Colombo 533 F) Colombo 529 G) Colombo 522 H) Colombo 519 I) Colombo 
514 and previous 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa told 
Ambassador late on May 20 that the GSL was firm in its decision to 
restrict access by UN agencies and others to IDP camps.  He 
criticized the UN and ICRC and said that they had to decide whether 
to remain in Sri Lanka to help IDPs.  He stated that the GSL could 
provide for its own people.  He claimed that there had been a low 
rate of civilian casualties in the final stages of the conflict.  He 
requested USG assistance in procuring or leasing demining equipment. 
 UN envoy Nambiar flew to the IDP camps and over the former conflict 
zone.  The ICRC declined to participate since the flight would not 
land in the former conflict zone.  The UN was optimistic about 
negotiations with GSL regarding the new access rules.  The access 
restrictions prevented the setting up of several USAID/OFDA-funded 
health clinics.  END SUMMARY. 
 
BASIL FIRM ON CAMP ACCESS ISSUES 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador and USAID Country Director met with Presidential 
Advisor Basil Rajapaksa late on May 20, pressing him on better 
access for UN, ICRC and NGOs to both the former conflict zone and 
the IDP camps.  Rajapaksa replied at length that the access issues 
surrounding vehicle use inside the camps by UN and other INGO 
personnel were not of concern to the GSL.  He explained these new 
rules were the result of a week-long deliberation by GSL on how best 
to run the camps.  Rajapaksa said they were instituted because 
doctors inside the camps had complained that dust and exhaust from 
passing vehicles were causing problems for the IDPs, and that 
instead GSL would arrange car parks outside the camps, and bicycles 
for aid workers to go inside the camps. 
 
BASIL: UN AND OTHER INGOS FACE CHOICE 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Rajapaksa stated that the UN, ICRC and other INGOs were not 
fulfilling their duties of providing adequate food and supplies, and 
that the GSL was succeeding at this.  He said the UN, ICRC and 
others would have to decide if they were operating in Sri Lanka to 
help the IDPs or to worry about their own operating rules.  He 
expressed exasperation that the UN and INGOs were complaining about 
access, and said that GSL would not bow to pressure from outside 
"just because some aid worker in Vavuniya sent an SMS text message 
to someone in Geneva" to complain about something.  Rajapaksa said 
the GSL appreciated that there were some international workers who 
were helpful, but that the GSL could care for its own people and did 
not actually need help from outside.  He expressed satisfaction with 
the way USAID worked, however.  The Ambassador pushed back, 
stressing that the role of the UN and ICRC in particular were 
essential, and encouraged Rajapaksa to work these issues out with 
the international organizations. 
 
BASIL: DEMINING EQUIPMENT REQUESTED 
 
COLOMBO 00000557  002 OF 003 
 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Emphasizing the importance of rapid resettlement, 
Ambassador asked if there was an overall strategy for demining. 
Rajapaksa replied that what the GSL wanted most was assistance in 
obtaining de-mining equipment, preferably leased rather than 
purchased.  He said the military had many soldiers available now, 
who should be provided with the proper equipment and put to work on 
demining.  He asked if USG could provide demining equipment - not 
teams.  The Ambassador said we would explore whether USG funding 
options could assist with that. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Rajapaksa said that there was a process for prioritizing 
areas for demining, involving the Committee on Mine Action through 
the Ministry of Nation-Building, and that the GSL would follow the 
established procedure for approving demining projects in 
consultation with local authorities, the military and security 
forces.  He said the authorities consult local village leaders as 
part of this process, including with those who may be currently in 
IDP camps, to determine the extent of knowledge of mine 
contamination and to determine which areas should be cleared first. 
 
 
BASIL: PROUD OF LOW CIVILIAN CASUALTIES 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Rajapaksa said he was proud of the low numbers of civilian 
casualties in the concluding days of the fighting, saying that 
hostage situations usually end with much more death, and that the 
numbers killed and wounded were small in comparison to all the 
victims of the various LTTE bombing attacks on civilian targets over 
the years. 
 
BASIL: IDPS WILL HAVE VOTE 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Ambassador stressed that when elections were held in the 
North that any IDPs remaining in camps would have to be included in 
the process.  Rajapaksa reported that IDP committees were being 
appointed inside the camps, and that these appointees would receive 
a salary funded in part by UNHCR. 
 
NAMBIAR VISITS IDP CAMPS AND 
FORMER CONFLICT ZONE 
---------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Vijay Nambiar, Chief of Staff to the UN Secretary General, 
accompanied by UN Resident Representative Neil Buhne, flew over the 
former safe zone on May 21, as low as tree top level, by military 
helicopter.  Buhne reported to Charge that they saw no civilians in 
the area, only military.  It is expected that the Secretary General 
will make a similar overflight on May 23.  The government is 
reluctant to allow the SecGen to land in the zone. 
 
¶9. (SBU) They also flew to Manik Farm on May 21, touring Zones 1 and 
4, both of which are receiving new arrivals.  UN Resident 
 
COLOMBO 00000557  003 OF 003 
 
 
Representative Neil Buhne reported to Charge that in addition to 
"Zone 0," the government's preferred site to show visitors, Ban Ki 
Moon will visit Zone 4, including the health care facility, and will 
be allowed to converse with IDPs. 
 
UN HOPEFUL ON IDP CAMP ACCESS TALKS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Buhne reported that the UN has slowed down operations in 
Zones 1, 2, and 3 due to the disagreement with the government over 
vehicular access, but the UN continues to work in Zone 4.  The UN 
will meet the evening of May 21 with Senior Presidential Adviser 
Basil Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Bogollagama in an effort to 
reach agreement on vehicular access.  The GSL's primary concerns 
regarding the volume of vehicles in Manik Farm are security (they 
argue that LTTE cadres could escape from the camps in the vehicles) 
and cultural sensitivity (they don't like the optic of large numbers 
of air conditioned vehicles driving through the camps while IDPs are 
out in the heat).  Components of a compromise plan may, according to 
Buhne, include a log system for vehicles entering the camps, 
limiting the number of vehicles through carpooling, removing flags 
from the vehicles, and greater coordination with local authorities. 
 
ICRC DONE IN NFZ AREA 
--------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) The ICRC was offered a place on Nambiar's flight over the 
former conflict zone, but turned it down because it would not give 
them access on the ground.  Because of the repeated denial of 
access, they have been frustrated in all their attempts to carry out 
their mandate in the former NFZ.  The ICRC told us he was 
nevertheless optimistic that talks with the GSL on access to IDP 
camps would reach an agreement.  Charge updated Castella about 
Ambassador's conversation with Def Sec Gothabaya Rajapaksa on May 
20, and Ambassador's advocacy for ICRC access.  Castella thanked 
Charge for the USG's continuing support and assistance. 
 
ACCESS RULES IMPEDING MEDICAL CARE 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶12. (U) The USAID/OFDA regional advisor reported that the 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) has not been able to 
set up 6 of the 10 USAID/OFDA-funded health clinics due to new 
access restrictions at Manik farms camp site. 
 
¶13. (U) On May 21, the USAID/OFDA regional advisor reported that the 
16 expatriate staff from Doctors without Borders (MSF/France) 
waiting to set up a field hospital at Manik Farms have finally 
received their visas.  The MSF staff began arriving on May 20.  MSF 
will set up the field hospital across from Zone 2 of Manik Farms. 
The USAID/OFDA regional advisor noted that the staff will not have 
access to any of the zones. 
 
MOORE