US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1832

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001832 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS; NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  10-22-13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, MOPS, SOCI, PREF, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  In Mission visit, Jaffna seems calm, but deep 
tensions between Tamils and military remain 
 
Refs:  Colombo 1827, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Bruce Lohof, Acting Deputy Chief of 
Mission.  Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  DCM and SA/INS desk officer visited 
Jaffna for one day of meetings with military, 
government, and NGO officials on October 17.  Based on 
the team's observations, a semblance of normal life is 
steadily returning to this war-torn area in Sri Lanka's 
far north.  As they have in past visits, however, Tamils 
complained about the Sri Lankan military's security 
zones, which cover roughly a fifth of the region's land 
area.  Overall, despite the major strands of dissonance 
remaining, contacts were basically optimistic about the 
peace process.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U) VISIT TO JAFFNA:  DCM Entwistle, SA/INS Desk 
Officer Waller, Poloff, and Pol FSN visited Jaffna 
District in northern Sri Lanka on October 17.  In 
traveling to Jaffna, the team took a commercial flight 
from Colombo's Ratmalana military airbase, arriving at 
Palaly airbase an hour later.  The U.S. team's first 
meeting was with the Sri Lankan military at Palaly 
airbase, which also serves as the headquarters of GSL 
security forces for the region.  The rest of the team's 
schedule involved meetings in Jaffna town, the largest 
urban area in the region with a population of about 
70,000 people, which is located roughly 20 kilometers 
south of Palaly. 
 
3.  (SBU) REVITALIZATION CONTINUES:  After years of war 
followed by almost two years of relative peace beginning 
in December 2001, a semblance of normal life is steadily 
returning to the Jaffna area.  This despite a large- 
scale military presence (see below), and the unseen, but 
very real specter of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 
(LTTE) influence.  Compared with observations made 
during recent Mission visits, for example, the team 
observed an increasing number of war-damaged homes being 
renovated and many new shops bustling with customers. 
Jaffna town's narrow streets were crowded with 
pedestrians and buses vying for right of way, as adults 
went about their business and children went to school. 
Interlocutors told team members that many residents were 
avidly preparing for the upcoming Hindu festival of 
lights, Deepavali, which is traditionally a joyous 
holiday.  Deepavali, which takes place this year on 
October 24, had not been openly celebrated in Jaffna 
during the 1983-2001 years of conflict. 
 
4.  (C) The strides toward normality that are being made 
in Jaffna are clearly not accidental, but rather the 
result of concerted effort by the government, NGOs, and 
businesses.  Some examples of efforts to make Jaffna a 
more livable place follow: 
 
-- C. Pathmanathan, the Jaffna Government Agent (GA), 
told the team that his office was focused on rebuilding 
the area's administrative structure, addressing the 
housing problem, as well as improving the water delivery 
and sanitation infrastructure. 
 
-- Ruwan Chandrasekera, the Jaffna-based representative 
of the GSL's Human Rights Commission (HRC), emphasized 
that his organization was working closely with the local 
Sri Lankan police force, staffed mainly with Sinhalese, 
to improve its performance on human rights matters. 
 
-- Given the opportunities for greater island-wide 
contact since the start of the peace process, Saroja 
Sivachandran from the Jaffna-based Center for Women and 
Development told the team that her organization's 
programs to support small business enterprises run by 
women were benefiting from increased technical expertise 
and funding from Colombo-based groups. 
-- In addition, based on what the team picked up, 
businesses, some owned by Tamils living overseas and 
some based in the south, had proven increasingly willing 
to invest in Jaffna in light of the ongoing peace 
process. 
 
5.  (C) MILITARY PRESENCE SPARKS TENSIONS:  Although the 
mood in the Jaffna area seemed less heavy and more 
upbeat compared with recent visits, significant tensions 
clearly continue to divide Tamils and the Sri Lankan 
military.  The major flashpoint involves the military's 
"high security zones," which cover roughly 20 percent of 
Jaffna's landmass.  Local residents maintain that the 
security zones hinder the return of Internally Displaced 
Persons (IDPs), and prevent the economic and 
agricultural development of prime land.  Adding to the 
tensions with the military are a recent spate of traffic 
accidents involving military vehicles, which have 
resulted in some civilian casualties. 
 
6.  (C) In the briefing given at Palaly airbase, 
Brigadier General Chandasiri admitted the existence of 
serious tensions between local residents and the 
military.  He commented that the situation was not 
nearly as poor as some Tamils were making it out to be 
and he stressed that the military was trying to be 
considerate of civilian needs.  Some civilian access was 
being allowed into the security zones in northern 
Jaffna, for example, with many Tamils allowed to attend 
school in the zones.  In making his comments, Chandasiri 
appeared to be indicating that the military was willing 
to loosen up its restrictions in northern Jaffna, as 
opposed to those in place in the southern area, which is 
adjacent to the line of control and the LTTE's armed 
forces. 
 
7.  (C) In an interesting remark that put the tensions 
in a different light, Chandrasekera of the Human Rights 
Commission added that the LTTE was most likely largely 
responsible for agitating Tamils against the military. 
It is fairly clear that the LTTE -- which technically 
has no role in governing the region -- is exercising a 
high degree of influence within the Tamil community in 
Jaffna, although Chandrasekera and other interlocutors 
did not mention it explicitly.  In fact, it is commonly 
whispered that Ilyamparuthi, the LTTE's political chief 
in Jaffna, is operating almost as a governor, with the 
GA having little real influence. 
 
8.  (C) COMMENT:  Based on what the team heard, Jaffna 
seemed to be in the best mood it has been in a long 
time.  In different ways, interlocutors conveyed the 
message that Jaffna residents were eager for more 
healing, which was very positive.  That said, as noted 
above, the relationship between Tamils and the military 
is still poor.  Moreover, there is also the very real, 
if largely unobtrusive, presence of LTTE cadre, who are 
putting pressure on both Tamils and the local government 
structure.  Overall, despite the major strands of 
dissonance remaining, contacts were basically optimistic 
about the peace process.  END COMMENT. 
 
9.  (U) Desk Officer Waller did not have the opportunity 
to clear on this cable before departure. 
 
10.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
LUNSTEAD