US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1408

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001408 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/MR, I/RW, I/REC; PA 
SA/INS (CAMP, WALLER), SA/PD (SCHWARTZ, SCENSNY) 
SSA/PAS 
 
E.O.12958:N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA PLAY: U.S. "NOTES WITH CONCERN" LTTE CAMP, 
POLITICAL ASSASSINATION 
 
1. On 8/7 Colombo issued a press release reiterating the 
8/6 Washington File article, "U.S. Looks Forward to 
Resumption of Sri Lankan Peace Talks ... State's Reeker 
says U.S. concerned about rebel activity."  The statement 
said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is 
"undermining confidence in the peace process" and that the 
USG was "look[ing] forward to a timely resumption of peace 
talks...." 
 
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Headlines 
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2. The release received immediate and enormous coverage. 
On 8/7 Sri Lanka's FM stations aired it during their 
regular headline newscasts, and most TV stations included 
the story in the noon and evening news shows.  On 8/8 and 
into the weekend the story was front-page news in all 
English and many vernacular dailies.  For example: 
 
- DAILY MIRROR (independent English daily):  "U.S. puts 
pressure on Tigers." 
 
- DAILY NEWS (government-owned English daily):  "Raps Tamil 
Tigers over assassinations:  U.S. urges LTTE to resume 
peace talks." 
 
- DINAMINA (government-owned Sinhala daily):  "America 
accuses:  Tigers damage the peace process." 
 
- ISLAND (independent English daily):  "U.S. concerned over 
LTTE camp in Kinniya, killings." 
 
- LAKBIMA (independent Sinhala daily):  "Stop political 
assassinations immediately ... work as per MOU, U.S. orders 
LTTE." 
 
- LANKADEEPA (independent Sinhala daily):  "Tiger 
activities damaged the peace process ... a strong 
allegation from America ... strong protest against the 
tiger camp and assassinations." 
 
- SUNDAY LAKBIMA (independent Sinhala weekender):  "Remove 
Manirasakulam camp, says America." 
 
- SUDAR OLI (pro-LTTE Tamil daily):  "America is worried 
about Tiger camp in Trincomalee District." 
 
- THINAKARAN (government-owned Tamil daily):  "Tigers 
should honor the ceasefire." 
 
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Editorial comment 
----- 
 
3. Meanwhile editorial quarreled with each other.  The 
English and Sinhala press said that the U.S. had thrown 
"paper tomahawks" at an LTTE that deserves heavier 
firepower, while the Tamil press complained that "unwanted 
foreign" intervention like this "will not help solve the 
problem amicably."  Excerpts follow: 
 
- "Firing paper Tomahawks at terrorists."  ISLAND 
(independent English daily) 8/7: 
 
"... what kind of impact will such statements really have 
on the LTTE by way of making the outfit desist from 
violence and compromise its intransigence, which has 
resulted in all peace processes so far coming a cropper? 
For a terror group which is still active and raising funds 
in the U.S. soil despite proscription in that country and 
continues to hold the peace process to ransom here, such 
press releases will be nothing more than paper Tomahawks. 
 
"The efforts being made by the U.S. and others fighting shy 
of applying sufficient pressure on the terrorists to goad 
them into resuming talks smack of some misplaced thinking 
that a man eater could be tamed with a cane.  This attitude 
has helped LTTE not only evade the crusade against global 
terrorism simply by entering a peace process but also 
achieve what it may not have dreamt of winning through 
fighting.  Today thanks to the peace process it has its 
cadres running a parallel administration in the government- 
held areas under the pretext of doing 'political work'; 
arms are being brought in with ease; and million of rupees 
are being raised daily - from the A-9 alone, about Rs. 2 
billion is collected annually - for its war chest. 
 
"If the LTTE is to be made to give up terrorism and resume 
talks as the U.S. wants, it is not exhortation but coercion 
that is called for.  Will the guardians of the peace 
process rise to the occasion?" 
 
- "Tigers should eliminate stubbornness."  SUNDAY 
LANDADEEPA (independent Sinhala weekender) 8/10: 
"Reeker's statement ... is a great eye opener for the 
Tigers; the U.S. is paying close attention to the LTTE's 
mulish behavior ... while the terrorists openly violate ... 
the MOU.  The MOU allowed the Tigers to engage in 
democratic politics in GSL controlled areas by entering 
these zones unarmed.  But the Tigers came armed into these 
areas, killed their political opponents, abducted 
government officers, and killed several military 
persons....  Now comes the Manirasakulam camp.  The SLMM 
said that the camp was a violation of the MOU, but the 
Tigers just don't care.... 
 
"The whole world understands that Tiger behavior does not 
build confidence.  Strangely, only the Tigers fail to 
realize it. 
 
"If the peace talks are to be concluded successfully, the 
Tigers must do away with their unruly behavior ... not only 
in word but in deed.  It is the duty of the whole 
international community -- and not only of the U.S. -- to 
open the eyes of Tigers.... 
 
- "America and Kurangupanchan."  SUDAR OLI MAGAZINE (pro- 
LTTE Tamil weekender) 8/10: 
 
"The Kurangupanchan Camp issue is heating up again. 
 
"LTTE political wing leader S. P. Tamilselvan ... said that 
the LTTE would not give up the Kurangupanchan Camp because 
it is situated in forests within the LTTE-controlled area. 
It was expected that the problem would end there, but now 
America is poking its nose in it. 
 
"... U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Reeker has 
raised the issue, saying that LTTE actions regarding the 
said camp would hinder the peace efforts. 
 
"There is no doubt that many western countries, including 
America, are eager to get the LTTE back to the peace talks. 
But these countries fail to understand why the LTTE has 
temporarily pulled out of talks.  They are partial toward 
the government; they fail to put pressure on the 
government. 
 
"It is evident that such countries express the views of the 
government when they make statements regarding Sri Lankan 
affairs.... 
 
"The LTTE has already has displayed its displeasure 
regarding the amount of interest shown by unwanted foreign 
forces regarding the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka.  American 
intervention will not help solve the problem amicably. 
 
- "Solution possible only if international community ... 
leaves aside its ulterior motives."  SUNDAY VIRAKESARI 
(Independent Tamil weekly) 8/10: 
 
"The international community should help achieve a 
respectable permanent solution for the Tamils by bringing 
the government and the opposition parties together. 
 
"If they intervene in this country's problem with their 
ulterior motives in mind, it cannot be expected that peace 
would return. 
 
"The U.S. State Department has said that the actions of the 
LTTE have allowed to loose faith in the peace efforts. 
 
"LTTE boats were destroyed many times on land and sea. LTTE 
cadres were attacked. The LTTE was silent over those 
attacks. They did not want to retaliate. 
 
"Now Tamil political observers want to know whether the 
U.S. State Department did not know that attacks by the Sri 
Lankan navy would disturb the peace process?". 
 
"It is evident ... that America is very much concerned 
about ... the camp in Kurangupanchankulam. 
"The LTTE has clearly stated that the camp is situated in 
an area under their control and would not be removed. 
 
"We are unsure whether the statement of the U.S. State 
Department comes as a threat to the LTTE to remove their 
camp, but issuing statements of this nature ... is not 
going to bring peace to this country. 
 
"... better to apply pressure on the government and the 
President to grant the Interim Administrative Council.... 
The time has come for the international community to leave 
aside their ulterior motives and work with a clean heart 
for peace in this country." 
 
Entwistle