VZCZCXYZ0016
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLM #0652/01 1770952
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 260952Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0166
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 3902
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1766
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 8778
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7018
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3152
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3620
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1258

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000652 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS AND PRM 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID 
AID/W FOR ANE/SCA 
AID/W FOR DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, JBORNS 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA FOR ACONVERY, RTHAYER AND RKERR 
BANGKOK FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA WBERGER 
KATHMANDU FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA MROGERS AND POL SBERRY 
USMISSION GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
USUN FOR ECOSOC DMERCADO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM CE
SUBJECT: CORRECTED VERSION: SRI LANKA: JUNE 22 BILATERAL 
DONOR MEETING 
 
REF: COLOMBO: 643 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  On June 22, Charge attended a bilateral 
donor meeting hosted by Australian High Commissioner Kathy 
Klugman to discuss current relief assistance to Sri Lanka and 
aid beyond the emergency phase.  Officials from the United 
Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, 
Canada, and the European Commission attended and provided 
updates on their humanitarian assistance to date.  Charge 
reviewed U.S. assistance efforts, noting that the U.S. would 
reconsider its position in light of benchmarks measuring 
Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) progress by August 31.  The 
European Commission announced an additional USD 7 million in 
assistance, but expressed concern over the GSL's lack of 
progress in granting freedom of movement.  Several other 
heads of mission expressed concern over the obstacles to 
monitoring and accounting for assistance, and over the 
broader ramifications or providing assistance in the current 
political context.  End Summary. 
 
DONOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO DATE 
 
¶2.  (SBU) To date, donors have provided the following 
humanitarian assistance: 
 
- Australian High Commissioner Klugman reported that the 
Government of Australia has contributed an estimated USD 25 
million through U.N. and international non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) to support humanitarian activities, 
including food aid, emergency shelters, protection, and 
water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. 
 
- British High Commissioner Peter Hayes announced that the 
Government of the United Kingdom has committed an estimated 
USD 18 million since 2008.  Of the total, the government has 
contributed an estimated USD 7.5 million to the U.N. for the 
purchase of ID card equipment.  Hayes stated that a portion 
of the committed funds would be set aside in the event they 
are needed for a health emergency.  He anticipates receiving 
additional funds to support rehabilitation activities. 
 
- French Ambassador Michel Lummaux reported that the 
Government of France has provided humanitarian assistance 
through the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees 
(UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross 
(ICRC) to support relief activities for internally displaced 
persons (IDPs).  Ambassador Lummaux also reported that the 
government is supporting two French NGOs that are providing 
medical assistance and WASH emergency interventions.  The 
government also established a field hospital that provided 
temporary assistance to an estimated 2,500 IDPs at the end of 
the conflict. 
 
- Swiss Ambassador Ruth Flint stated that the Government of 
Switzerland has contributed an estimated USD 4 million for 
emergency activities through the ICRC and NGOs.  Ambassador 
Flint stated that an additional USD 4 million may become 
available to further support the delivery of humanitarian 
assistance. 
 
- Canada's High Commissioner Angela Bogdan reported that the 
Government of Canada has provided an estimated USD 6.5 
million through relief agencies, including UNHCR and ICRC, 
for emergency interventions. 
 
- German Charge Stefan Weckbach stated that the Government of 
Germany has contributed more than USD 7 million to UNHCR, the 
U.N. World Food Program, and German NGOs to support relief 
programs, including health and WASH activities. 
 
- The Government of the Netherlands has provided an estimated 
USD 4.2 million for the delivery of relief assistance to IDPs. 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL AID 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Head of Delegation of the European Commission to 
Sri Lanka Bernard Savage reported that the Commission plans 
to announce an additional 5 million Euros, or approximately 
USD 7 million, to provide life-saving assistance to IDPs. 
(Note: On June 23, the European Commission announced the 
allocation of USD 7 million for the provision of emergency 
relief supplies, as well as to support health, nutrition, and 
WASH activities.)  Savage indicated, however, that the 
Commission does not plan to provide additional assistance 
beyond these funds.  According to Savage, it is becoming very 
difficult to justify the deliver of more aid if humanitarian 
agencies are unable to monitor expenditure due to lack of 
access to temporary camps and IDPs. 
 
U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Charge briefed donors on U.S. Government (USG) 
assistance provided to Sri Lanka to date.  In Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2009, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance 
has contributed more than USD 6 million to assist IDPs and 
returnees, including support for health, logistics, 
protection, disaster risk reduction, agriculture and food 
security, economy and market systems, shelter and 
settlements, humanitarian coordination and information 
management, and WASH programs.  USAID's Office of Food for 
Peace (USAID/FFP) has contributed 19,490 metric tons (MT) of 
P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance, valued at USD 
14.3 million.  Charge indicated that USAID/FFP plans to call 
forward an additional 23,000 MT, valued at approximately USD 
15 million, if further emergency food assistance is needed. 
The Department of State's Bureau of Political and Military 
Affairs Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement awarded USD 
600,000 to international NGOs for humanitarian de-mining 
activities in the North, and noted that an additional USD 6 
million may soon be provided.  In addition, the Bureau of 
Population, Refugees, and Migration has provided USD 4.8 
million to U.N. and international NGO partners for support to 
IDPs and conflict victims. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Charge noted that the timeframe for USG 
humanitarian assistance is through the end of August.  "We 
hope to assist in the recovery phase, but there should be 
forward movement on the part of the Government of Sri Lanka. 
Our Focus would be on IDP return packages that would include 
support for livelihood, shelter, and water, sanitation, and 
hygiene programs," noted the Charge.  Charge also stated that 
the USG will consider benchmarks to measure progress.  These 
will include access to and conditions in IDP camps; IDP 
registration; family reunification; identification, 
disarmament and separation of former combatants from general 
IDP population; "low-risk" releases; IDP return and de-mining 
strategies; and progress in political reconciliation. 
 
DONOR CONSENSUS ON CONTINUED HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE 
 
¶6.  (SBU) At the bilateral meeting, donors reiterated their 
continued support to the humanitarian response in Sri Lanka 
without any form of conditionality, although donors 
acknowledged the challenges they are facing to justify 
further assistance due to ongoing access issues.  Canada's 
High Commissioner emphasized that donors need to be able to 
audit and address accountability to ensure that aid is 
reaching the most vulnerable populations.  Bogdan also stated 
that donors should focus on broader ramifications rather than 
on conditions for the provision of humanitarian aid.  The 
Australian High Commissioner stated that the GSL has received 
international assistance during the emergency phase, and she 
anticipates that the international community will likely 
continue to provide assistance for the resettlement phase. 
 
 
Savage emphasized that advocacy should center on freedom of 
movement for IDPs. 
MOORE