US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1901

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 COLOMBO 001901 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INR/MR, I/RW, I/REC; PA 
SA/INS (CAMP, DEAN, WALLER); SA/PD (REINCKENS, SCENSNY, 
STRYKER); SSA/PAS 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, PTER, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA PLAY:  SRI LANKAN MEDIA RESPOND TO LTTE 
COUNTERPROPOSALS, II 
 
REF:  (A) Colombo 1893, (B) Colombo 1888 
 
1. In reftels Colombo reported on the 11/1 unveiling of the 
LTTE's long awaited response to the GSL's Interim 
Administration proposals.  As noted in reftel (B), the 
counterproposal elicited immediate and enormous coverage: 
all major front pages carried the story, and three English, 
two Sinhala, and one Tamil weekender editorialized on the 
subject.  Coverage continued unabated on 11/3 and 11/4. 
 
----- 
Headlines 
----- 
 
2. Most dailies carried a press release issued by the 
Embassy on 11/3 (see Para. 12).  The release appeared under 
a variety of headlines:  "USA hails LTTE's delivery of 
counter proposals to government" (independent English DAILY 
MIRROR), "U.S. supports resumption of peace negotiations" 
(government-owned DAILY NEWS), "America urges both parties 
to get back to peace talks" (government-owned Sinhala 
daily, DINAMINA), "U.S. government supports resumption of 
peace talks (independent English daily, ISLAND), "U.S. 
Supports resumption of peace talks" (pro-LTTE Tamil daily, 
SUDAR OLI), "America is concerned regarding LTTE's IA 
proposals" (government-owned Tamil daily, THINAKARAN), 
"America requests both parties to resume talks soon" 
(independent Tamil daily, THINAKKURAL. 
 
3. Other headlines focused on other "takes."  The DAILY 
MIRROR's financial pages noted "Jitters over LTTE proposals 
bring stock market down."  The DAILY NEWS quoted Muslim 
politician Rauff Hakeem as saying that "Muslims will submit 
alternative proposals."  DINAMINA quoted the Muslim 
Congress:  "If LTTE says NO to a central government, its NO 
from us too."  DIVAINA (independent Sinhala daily) said 
that "Devolution of power of any kind should confirm the 
rights of all ethnicities."  LAKBIMA (independent Sinhala 
daily) quoted the National Bhikku Front as asking "true 
men" to "come forward ... to oppose the Tiger document." 
LANKADEEPA (independent Sinhala daily) said "If peace talks 
collapse, both President and PM are answerable."  And 
VIRAKESARI (independent Tamil daily) reported:  "Government 
seek TNA's support if opposition brings a no-confidance 
motion." 
 
----- 
Editorials: 
----- 
 
4. DAILY MIRROR (independent English daily):  "Decks 
cleared." 
 
"With the government proposals and LTTE's counter proposals 
before them, the people of this country can now have a 
clear idea of what the government is prepared to offer by 
way of devolved power and what the LTTE expects to get.... 
It is clear from the LTTE proposals that they, as expected, 
have asked for the maximum....  The proposals and counter 
proposals that are before the people today are for 
discussion and deliberation by those parties who believe in 
finding a solution to this national question through 
negotiation on the basis of power devolution....  The 
LTTE's metamorphosis from an outfit arrogantly insisting on 
non-negotiable positions in the past, into an organisation 
willing to settle matters through negotiation, is ... an 
encouraging trend....  The government should also enter 
into a dialogue ... with other political parties too, as it 
has persistently vowed....  Those parties that are against 
devolution and negotiations, but are for averting another 
armed conflict, also have a role to play.  Even if they 
think that the government had acted unwisely in its moves 
to bring peace upto now, no purpose will be served by 
heaping abuse on it in a contentious manner.  Scrambled 
eggs cannot be unscrambled.  They should instead show how 
the country could wriggle out of the present situation 
unscathed.  It is for them to place before the government a 
practical plan to deal with the situation in the same way 
that the LTTE has spelt out its position.  The ostensible 
design of these parties to replace the government before 
they formulate their solution will certainly spell doom for 
the country." 
5. DAILY NEWS (government-owned English daily):  "Pursue 
peace with a sense of realism." 
 
"The major parties to the conflict need to pursue peace 
with a strong sense of realism.  The Government and other 
parties in the South need to be realistic enough to 
understand that the LTTE has been waging a war for the 
furtherance of the Tamil community's power aspirations. 
While the LTTE is on record as saying that it is seeking an 
alternative to Eelam within one country, it is unlikely to 
be satisfied with the current system of power devolution. 
The LTTE, on the other hand, needs to realise that the 
Government cannot be seen as compromising the unity and 
territorial integrity of the State.  If it is seen as doing 
this a compromise solution cannot be arrived at. 
Therefore, a sense of realism, on both sides, is essential 
for progress." 
 
6. DINAMINA (government-owned Sinhala daily):  "LTTE 
proposal should be looked at honestly and intelligently." 
 
"Both the Government and President ... Chandrika 
Kumaratunga hold the same view that power should be 
devolved to find a peaceful solution to the North-East 
problem.  The essence of the LTTE proposals is that a self- 
governing authority should be established to govern the 
North and East.  The President has declared that this goes 
beyond the devolution of power.  It is not wrong to say so. 
But it is also true that the degree of devolution of power 
varies from country to country and that there is no 
definite conclusion about it, and it depends on the two 
negotiating parties.  This can be settled at the 
negotiating table and the entire country should support the 
effort to consolidate the peaceful conditions prevailing in 
the country.  No one who respects democracy can reject the 
LTTE proposals in their entirety." 
 
7. DIVAINA (independent Sinhala daily:  "The difference 
between beheading and decapitation." 
 
"The LTTE proposals which demand every thing except the 
cost of erecting a wall to separate the North and East from 
the country's Southern region were declared last Friday. 
The main objective of the proposals is to establish a Self 
Governing Authority to govern, Amparai, Batticaloa, Jaffna, 
Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee and Vavuniya 
Districts.  These proposals have sparked off a serious 
debate among the Sinhalese Muslims and Tamils who are not 
supporters of the LTTE.  The patriotic Tigers are however 
not involved in this debate.  It is obvious that short of 
demanding a separate State, these proposals ask for all the 
administrative and other systems necessary to run such a 
state.  It can only be compared to a person being beheaded 
but being told that only his head has been severed." 
 
8. ISLAND (independent English daily):  "Peace Talks: 
Wanted negotiators not appeasers." 
 
"The peace makers are whipping euphoria and hysteria to 
support the LTTE and destroy any dissent expressed against 
these proposals.  All relevant and scathing criticisms are 
being dismissed with the contention that these are 'mere 
proposals' and that they have to be negotiated.  Whether 
they are proposals, demands or sheer blackmail are to be 
seen. But it is essential that the entire country -- not 
only the government be prepared and involved -- in the 
selection of negotiators....  The matter of selection of 
negotiators for Sri Lanka should not be left to the prime 
minister and the government in power alone.  The opposition 
particularly from the SLFP and other minority parties too 
should be included if there is to be a durable settlement. 
Such a selection necessarily calls for a common strategy to 
be adopted by all parties concerned -- a vital requirement 
that has not been achieved so far.  But such a common 
strategy is absolutely essential even to the LTTE. 
Agreement with one party together with a minority party 
will not mean acceptance by the whole country....  Today, 
there are far too many cooks in this peace soup.  Notable 
are those 'academics' and NGO activists, most of whom have 
failed to enter our Sri Lankan Universities, qualified 
abroad and arrived here to head heavily funded NGOs who 
dance to the tune of their governments or sponsors.  These 
people under the cover of 'civil society' do not represent 
the people -- only a minuscule anglicised Colombo society. 
Our negotiators should be persons of the calibre who can 
tell these 'elitists' to get lost with their offers of free 
junkets and research funding.  If negotiations are to 
succeed we need politically responsible negotiators not 
appeasers." 
 
9. ISLAND (independent English daily):  "Tiger demands: 
beyond the federal paradigm." 
"Forget the hype, ignore the spin.  The Tigers' Kilinochchi 
proposals ... aren't about power sharing.  They aren't 
about federalism or autonomy or devolution or peace 
processes.  In fact they aren't about sharing anything at 
all.  This set of proposals is based upon the doctrine that 
there's nothing to share.  They are a set of demands for 
the total and unconditional relinquishing of power.  What's 
being shared?  What's there to share?  What in fact is the 
power left to the democratically elected Government of Sri 
Lanka? 
 
"Here's a 10 point strategic framework, which may provide a 
response to the Tigers' ISGA demand:  (1) eschew 
unilateralism and adventurism; (2) avoid frontal assault 
either on each other, or on the principles of federalism, 
autonomy, and power sharing.  Point out that the Tigers' 
ISGA is way outside any federalist paradigm; (3) change the 
zero-sum character of the Southern political game; (4) 
build the broadest possible front, in the national 
interest; (5) recognize the new equilibrium between the 
President and PM, both of whom have strengthened themselves 
politically through adroit moves, the President 
domestically, the PM externally; (6) negotiate under an 
Indian umbrella, a condominium reflecting the new ratio of 
forces:  the President is clearly stronger and has more 
options than the PM, including that of instant ejection, 
dissolution; (7) fast-forward the defense pact with India 
and make it a robust and full-blooded one.  Have it signed 
by both President and the PM; (8) strengthen our external 
support using the principle of 'double insulation', 
bringing Sri Lanka under two strategic arcs:  India's 
defense perimeter, and the larger envelope of Indo-US- 
Israeli security cooperation; (9) the Sri Lankan response 
to the ISGA must be crafted in close consultation and 
presented with the concurrence of India; (10) the 
settlement itself must be underwritten and guaranteed by 
India (and perhaps the USA)." 
 
THINAKURAL (independent Tamil daily):  "Maha Sangha's 
consenting voice." 
 
"The North-East Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) 
proposal has been hailed as a progressive move by 
politicians, diplomats and intellectuals.  This cannot be 
rejected totally.  It should be examined in detail.  On the 
whole, this document has been prepared in such a manner 
after getting legal expertise from many quarters.  The 
Mahanayake's of the Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters too have 
welcomed the LTTE's counterproposals and stated that the 
President and the Opposition should act in a far-sighted 
manner and should not disrupt the peace efforts.  They have 
said that if these proposals affect the security and 
sovereignty of the country, talks should be held and a 
decision arrived at." 
 
10. THINAKURAN (government-owned Tamil daily):  "Opinions 
not desirable for the peace of the country." 
 
"Two shades of opinion have emerged in the South regarding 
the proposals placed by the LTTE for an interim 
administration.  There are many intellectuals in the 
majority and the minority communities who can analyze the 
proposals critically and express support.  At the same time 
there are persons in the South who will not attempt to go 
through the LTTE proposals but oppose it for the sake of 
opposing.  When a political solution is to found for a 
local problem, it is a democratic right for anybody who 
express their opposition.  But before commenting they 
should be able to grasp the problem in its entirety.  If 
not they do not possess the ability to comment on it.  The 
European Union welcomed the LTTE proposals.  Western 
diplomats have supported it.  The upcountry political 
leaders and the leftist leaders have supported these 
proposals.  There are two shades of opinion prevailing. 
All should understand that the LTTE proposals are not 
final.  The Government and the LTTE will be holding talks, 
which will lead to a settlement." 
 
11. VIRAKESARI (independent Tamil daily):  "The next 
stage." 
"The LTTE counter-proposals have been sent to the 
Government.  Both the Government and the Opposition have 
begun to analyze the pros and cons of the proposals.  By 
presenting their proposals the LTTE has given the sign to 
the Government to get ready for the next phase of 
activities.  All the people are expecting that both sides 
should resume talks very early and find a permanent 
solution to the problems of the Tamil speaking people.  If 
permanent peace is to be established in the country a 
political solution should be found for the ethnic issue 
through discussions.  But as a curse, the Government and 
the President belong to two different parties.  As a result 
all good attempts are being destroyed.  On the whole, both 
major political parties have not done anything for the 
benefit of the minorities.  This is the reality of the 
situation." 
 
----- 
12. Embassy press release. 
----- 
 
U.S. GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS RESUMPTION OF PEACE NEGOTIATIONS 
 
The U.S. Embassy has taken note of the LTTE's delivery of 
counterproposals made in response to the Sri Lankan 
Government's interim administration proposal for the North 
and East.  The Embassy urges both parties to build on this 
step by resuming negotiations in a timely manner. 
 
With a constructive approach and willingness to compromise, 
we continue to believe that a negotiated solution to the 
conflict is possible. 
 
We also believe that it is possible for both sides to reach 
agreement on an interim administration which, over time, 
must lead into a permanent peace settlement and 
governmental structure, in keeping with the principles and 
statements put forward in Oslo and Tokyo. 
 
We salute the Norwegian government for its ongoing 
facilitation effort. 
 
ENTWISTLE