VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLM #0726/01 2031504
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADX0090DB60 MSI8508)
O 221504Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 8811
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0266
INFO RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7050
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1270
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3638

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000726 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY - CAPTION LINE ADDED 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ISLAMABAD FOR LIANE DORSEY (PLEASE PASS TO A/S SCHWARTZ); 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
KATHMANDU FOR SHEILA BERRY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL CE
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR JULY 25-28 VISIT BY PRM A/S 
SCHWARTZ 
 
REF: USUN NEW YORK 693 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: Your visit comes at a critical time in 
US-Sri Lanka relations. During the October 2008 - May 2009 
final military push to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil 
Eelam (LTTE), the Government of Sri Lanka increasingly 
distanced itself from western nations who criticized its 
methods.  Sri Lanka is now at a crossroads; a sound 
post-conflict approach could usher in a lasting peace among 
the people of Sri Lanka, or, conversely, entrench 
nationalistic elements in increasing divisiveness and 
insularity.  The U.S seeks to support Sri Lanka in achieving 
sustainable post-conflict reconciliation and development, 
improved human rights and media freedom, adequate assistance 
to and return of conflict-affected civilians from the North, 
and, ultimately, a thriving, stable society.  Your visit will 
reinforce to senior Government officials the strong U.S. 
interest in supporting Sri Lanka on this path, and 
specifically, in rapidly addressing the humanitarian 
situation of 283,000 persons displaced in the final months of 
the conflict, the majority of whom now reside in closed 
Government-run camps in the North. In meetings with senior 
Government officials, you will have the opportunity to 
advocate for improved Government coordination with 
humanitarian agencies on demining plans and ensuring the 
voluntary, timely returns of IDPs.  END SUMMARY. 
 
IDPS: 180 DAYS UNTIL RETURN? 
---------------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU) 282,380 civilians trapped in the conflict zone by 
the LTTE now reside in 35 sites in Vavuniya, Jaffna, and 
Trincomalee.  Some 220,000 are located in "Manik Farm", a 
massive camp complex you will visit on July 26, which was 
hastily erected following large-scale civilian outflows this 
year.  The camps are administered by civilian and military 
officials, with services and goods largely provided by UN 
agencies and non-governmental organizations.  Conditions in 
the camps have steadily improved since the end of 
hostilities, although overcrowding, sanitation, and health 
concerns continue.  The Government views international aid 
agencies with suspicion, periodically leveling accusations 
that they supported the LTTE and restricting their access and 
ability to provide aid. Protection concerns cannot be 
adequately addressed unless independent monitors have full 
access to the IDP population; currently aid workers can only 
enter the camps if they are supplying material goods to camp 
residents. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Post has strongly emphasized to Government 
officials the need for unimpeded humanitarian access, as well 
as rapid screening and registration of the camp population, 
which will enable restoration of freedom of movement to the 
majority of camp residents.  President Mahinda Rajapaksa 
initially vowed that 80% of the camp population would return 
to the North by the end of the year; however, demining 
operations may take significantly longer before some 
locations are cleared for returns.  The UN and international 
donors advocate for the release of civilians to host families 
outside the camps until it is possible for voluntary returns 
to take place; this approach would reduce costs for 
supporting a camp-bound community, and more importantly, 
restore freedom of movement.  The Government has announced a 
"180-day plan", which was to begin July 1, for the return of 
most of the IDP population, but has not yet released details 
needed by the UN and INGOs.  Post will continue to closely 
monitor the Government's actions in order to ensure that US 
funding supports positive outcomes in resolving the IDP 
crisis. 
 
FORMER COMBATANTS & ICRC ROLE 
----------------------------- 
¶4.  (SBU) Approximately 11,000 persons surrendered to 
Government authorities as LTTE cadres. They are temporarily 
occupying thirteen public buildings separate from the 
civilian camp populations. The International Committee of the 
Red Cross (ICRC) has access to these detainees in keeping 
with its mandate, in addition to implementing its many 
programs to assist conflict-affected Sri Lankans.  However, 
ICRC has been asked by the Government to scale back its 
operations in the country in an apparent move by the 
Government to assert a sense of normalcy now that the 
conflict is over. ICRC has drawn down its operations in the 
East and is negotiating with the Government on continued 
operations elsewhere, which include investigating cases of 
the disappeared, visits with detainees under the Emergency 
Act or terrorism regulations, and restoration of family links. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Demilitarization (including demining), 
demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) of combatants will be 
an important element in restoring peace. The U.S. has 
finalized $6.6 million in FY 09 funding for four 
international demining organizations for projects in the 
North.  The International Organization for Migration received 
$1.2M in USAID funding for an information, counseling and 
referral services program for 1,000 ex-combatants in the 
East, a promising model which sought to match needs and 
aspirations of ex-combatants with appropriate services (e.g. 
education, skills training, psychosocial counseling, medical 
care). The Government has requested IOM to assist in 
establishing a demobilization camp for the ex-combatants who 
are now housed at the 13 temporary facilities. 
 
HUMAN RIGHTS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM 
--------------------------------- 
¶6.  (SBU) Sri Lanka is widely regarded as having a poor human 
rights record. The Committee to Protect Journalists labels 
Sri Lanka as the fourth most dangerous country in the world 
for journalists; Amnesty International decries Sri Lanka's 
"vicious cycle of abuse and impunity"; and International 
Crisis Group claims that Sri Lanka's courts have "corroded 
the rule of law and worsened ethnic tensions."  Every month 
since August 2005, the Government has renewed the State of 
Emergency Act, which permits suspension of habeas corpus 
(permitting detention up to one year without trial) and 
expanded Presidential powers.  According to watchdog groups 
and Post reporting, dissidents and free media have been under 
increased threat, with multiple instances of attacks on 
journalists, including the murder of the prominent journalist 
Lasantha Wickrematunge on January 8, 2009. Increasingly, Sri 
Lankan activists and journalists are relocating abroad due to 
the climate of fear in Sri Lanka, and environment of impunity 
for acts of violence against independent voices. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Five doctors who served in the conflict zone 
provided information to the press about estimated civilian 
deaths and the shelling of a makeshift hospital.  The 
Government denounced the statements as LTTE propaganda, and 
detained the doctors once they arrived in 
Government-controlled territory in May.  On July 8, the 
Defense Ministry held a press conference at which the doctors 
stated that the LTTE forced them to lie about civilian 
casualties; most in ternational media questioned whther their 
statements were voluntary. The doctor remain in detention. 
 
13th AMENDMENT 
-------------- 
¶8.  (SBU) Many observers view enactment of the Thirteenth 
Amendment of Sri Lanka's Constitution, which will devolve 
power away from the central government to the provinces, as 
important to establishing long-term sustainability of peace 
in Sri Lanka.  President Rajapaksa has reaffirmed his 
willingness to pursue a political solution (versus the 
military solution which ended the conflict, but left many 
Tamil grievances unaddressed). However, he has said that 
enactment must wait until after his re-election as President, 
which will renew his mandate. (Note: The election is expected 
to take place in early 2010.) 
 
ECONOMIC CLIMATE 
---------------- 
¶9.  (SBU) Sri Lanka has not been insulated from the global 
economic downturn, which has slowed economic growth and left 
the Government with depleted reserves. Sri Lanka's letter of 
intent accepting the terms and conditions needed to obtain a 
$2.5 billion IMF loan is a current hot-button issue, 
particularly given the lingering perception that the U.S. 
Government does not support the request and may vote against 
it. Secretary Clinton noted in mid-May that "it is not an 
appropriate time to consider that (loan) until there is a 
resolution of the conflict."  Post has since communicated to 
the Government that the U.S. has not blocked the loan and 
will consider the IMF loan request based on economic 
criteria.  There is legislation pending in Congress that 
would require Treasury to vote against the loan unless the 
Secretary of State certifies that the Government of Sri Lanka 
is meeting certain requirements.  Treasury has not yet 
reached a consensus on how it will vote.  A "no" vote or even 
an abstention would produce significant political fallout. 
The IMF decision will be widely covered by the press during 
the time of your visit. 
 
POSITIVE STEPS FORWARD 
---------------------- 
¶10.  (SBU) Your visit will be an opportunity to reinforce to 
the Sri Lankan Government our interest in supporting a 
positive path forward, including continued USG assistance in 
demining, humanitarian aid, and development in the North. As 
UN Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes noted 
to you (Ref A), senior level visits to Sri Lanka will help 
keep the Government's attention focused on resolving the 
humanitarian crisis quickly. We look forward to your visit as 
a chance to reinforce a strong, collaborative relationship 
with Sri Lanka as it faces the important challenges that lie 
ahead. 
 
MOORE