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FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0344
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RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 1239
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3665
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000773 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID PREF PHUM CE
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA'S PLANS TO 
REHABILITATE AND REINTEGRATE FORMER LTTE COMBATANTS 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY:  The rehabilitation and reintegration of 
former LTTE  combatants will be crucial if Sri Lanka is to 
achieve sustainable reconciliation.  With the launching this 
past week of a National Framework Proposal for Reintegration 
of Ex-Combatants, and the recent appointment of Major General 
Daya Ratnayake as the new Commissioner General of 
Rehabilitation in the Ministry of Justice, the Government of 
Sri Lanka (GSL) seems to have resolved the issue over who 
should lead the rehabilitation efforts in the North.  The 
exact number of former combatants to be rehabilitated remains 
unclear.  Military and civilian sources generally use a 
figure of 10,000 ex-combatants who are currently housed in 13 
overcrowded rehabilitation facilities in Vavuniya District, 
most in public buildings.  However, in meetings with Embassy 
officials, Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa indicated 
that he expects the number of ex-combatants to climb to 
20,000 once the security screening process of the IDPs is 
completed.  Positive steps are being taken by the GSL but a 
number of issues need to be addressed before an effective 
program of rehabilitation and reintegration can be launched. 
End Summary. 
 
RECENT ACTIONS BY THE GSL 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The GSL announced recently that responsibility for 
rehabilitating former LTTE combatants in the North would fall 
under the Ministry of Justice and newly-appointed Minister of 
Justice, Milinda Moragoda.  Last week the GSL announced that 
the Commissioner General for Rehabilitation portfolio would 
be assumed by an active service member, Major General Daya 
Ratnayake, seconded to the Ministry of Justice.  The 
Commissioner General, however, will report to the Minister of 
Justice through Secretary of Justice Suhada Gamalath. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  At the same time, Minister of Disaster Management 
and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe has led a five-month 
long process to develop a National Framework on Reintegration 
of Ex-combatants, with assistance from the International 
Labor Organization (ILO).  This quote National Framework 
Proposal for Reintegration of Ex-Combatants into Civilian 
Life in Sri Lanka unquote was launched officially in Colombo 
on July 30.  The Framework has the goals of safeguarding the 
human rights of the ex-combatants; contributing to 
sustainable peace, reconciliation and social cohesion; and 
increasing the employability of ex-combatants.  Development 
of the framework engaged members of the UN agencies and a 
wide spectrum of GSL ministries, including the Ministry of 
Justice. The Ministry of Defense was not fully engaged in 
this effort. 
 
BUILDING ON EXISTING PROGRAMS TO GO FORWARD 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU)  While ILO provided technical assistance for 
development of the Framework Proposal, the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) is the international agency 
on the ground with relevant experience in other countries and 
an ongoing program in the East, funded by USAID, for 1,000 
former TMVP combatants.  The IOM program in the East is based 
on an information, counseling and referral service (ICRS) 
model which matches the needs and aspirations of the former 
combatants with appropriate services through a registration 
process and development of a database.  This model has been 
successfully implemented in other parts of the world and 
ensures that recipients are connected with the training and 
employment opportunities most appropriate to them.  The 
mapping process in the East has been completed and the first 
recipients are beginning to receive small grants through this 
program. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  The IOM,s productive relationships with the 
 
COLOMBO 00000773  002 OF 003 
 
 
Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Justice, the two key 
government stakeholders involved, means it is well placed to 
work with the GSL on assisting with the former LTTE 
combatants in the North.  The GSL estimates 5-10,000 
ex-combatants are still in the IDP camps, mostly Manik Farm, 
who must be identified and separated from the other IDPs. 
The need to identify these additional ex-combatants is likely 
slowing the overall returns process.  ICRC earlier had 
registered the ex-combatants in the 13 temporary facilities. 
The Ministry of Defense has officially requested in writing 
IOM's assistance in the North to set up rehabilitation 
facilities and to register and profile the 10,000 former 
combatants who are housed in 13 temporary sites in Vavuniya. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Charge convened a meeting July 31 with 
representatives of the Governments of Japan, Australia, 
Norway, UK, and the Netherlands, as well as the acting 
country representative of IOM and the USAID Director to 
discuss the government,s plans for the rehabilitation of 
ex-combatants.  All recognized the importance of the 
rehabilitation of ex-combatants and some may be able to 
provide assistance, although currently only the UK has 
concrete plans to provide funding to IOM.  During the week of 
August 10, the Minister of Justice plans to hold a meeting of 
potential donors at which it is anticipated that the GSL will 
present a plan that would include a timeframe, benchmarks, 
and funding requirements. 
 
POSSIBLE U.S. SUPPORT FOR REINTEGRATION OF FORMER COMBATANTS 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Post,s recently approved Section 1207 proposal for 
the North includes more than $7 million for reintegration of 
former combatants; however these funds are not yet available. 
  IOM has requested that $80,000 from the USAID grant for the 
East be reprogrammed so that they can begin the process of 
registering ex-combatants in the North as soon as possible. 
However, USAID legal counsel has advised that the current 
Material Support Memo and the OFAC waiver for the 
rehabilitation work in the East will need to be amended to 
include the new rehabilitation work in the North, and Post is 
providing the relevant information to the Bureau so that this 
process moves forward. 
 
¶8. (SBU)  COMMENT:  The creation of a national framework, the 
appointment of the new Commissioner General for 
Rehabilitation, and the MOD request for IOM assistant are 
positive steps taken by the GSL to move forward on developing 
mechanisms and a plan to rehabilitate and reintegrate the 
former LTTE combatants.  The Justice Minister, Justice 
Secretary, and Commissioner General for Rehabilitation are 
highly competent and are well known to post.  Several issues, 
however, require resolution.  First, the remaining combatants 
need to be removed from the IDP camps.  Second, a decision 
must be taken regarding how the families of former combatants 
will be handled as they are regarded as a group in need of 
special consideration given their elevated status within the 
LTTE hierarchy.  Third, resources will need to be mobilized. 
 
¶9. (SBU)  Post is considering providing support for 
registration, vocational training, and psycho-social 
rehabilitation, among other activities.  Post does not plan 
to provide support for the physical infrastructure of the 
demobilization facilities.  While IOM will play a key role in 
rehabilitation, post is also aware of the importance of ICRC 
access to the surrendees in the North.  In early July, the 
ICRC was instructed to close its operations in the East.  The 
ICRC plays an important role in independent protection 
monitoring, family unification, and providing assistance to 
surrendees and post will continue to advocate with the GSL 
for the ability of the ICRC to exercise this mandate.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
COLOMBO 00000773  003 OF 003 
 
 
MOORE