US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO174

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000174 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, DRL, DRL/CRA, AND DRL/IRF 
 
PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC 
 
E.O. 12958:     DECL:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, KDEM, KIRF, CE, Human Rights, Religious Freedom 
SUBJECT:  USG promotion of Human Rights in Sri Lanka 
 
Refs:  03 State 333935 
 
1.  Mission's response to Reftel request for information 
on the promotion of human rights in Sri Lanka follows: 
 
2.  PEACE PROCESS:  The ongoing peace process in Sri 
Lanka has more of a direct and dramatic impact on 
improving the human rights situation in Sri Lanka than 
any other factor.  The U.S. Government contributes to 
the peace process and thus helps promote human rights in 
Sri Lanka in many ways, including:  through consistent 
and high-level use of public diplomacy tools; through 
private interaction with key actors on the national 
stage; through human rights training provided in 
military-to-military programs; and through targeted 
humanitarian and development assistance. 
 
3.  RULE OF LAW/MILITARY:  The Government's arbitrary 
arrest of citizens under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 
(PTA) has been a serious human rights problem.  The PTA 
is no longer in use to detain new suspects, but 65 
Tamils remain in jail on PTA charges.  The U.S. 
continues to work to insure that those who remain 
detained under the PTA have access to legal services. 
In addition, the U.S. Government emphasized to the GSL 
the importance of actively investigating reports of 
government officials failing to comply with legal 
protections.  U.S. programs also provided much-needed 
generators and computer equipment to courts in the war- 
torn north and east.  This equipment will help court 
officials better manage their large case loads. 
Regarding Sri Lanka's military, human rights training is 
a key component of all US-Sri Lankan military-to- 
military programs; it is imbedded in International 
Military Education and Training (IMET), it is central to 
conferences and seminars funded under Title X, and is a 
specific focus area during subject matter expert 
exchanges (SMEEs) and joint and combined exercises. 
 
4.  LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM (LTTE):  The LTTE 
is a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) controlling 
about 15 percent of Sri Lanka and exerting influence in 
roughly another 15 percent of the country.  Mission 
maintains low-level contact with the LTTE on a technical 
basis for assistance implementation purposes, but the 
U.S. does not maintain political-level contacts with the 
group.  U.S. officials have made repeated public 
statements expressing concern about the LTTE's unabated 
recruitment of children, assassination of political 
opponents, and harassment of the minority Muslim 
population.  Through dialogue with influential Tamil 
politicians and public diplomacy tools, U.S. officials 
also communicated the U.S. Government's position on the 
LTTE's October 2003 re-listing on the U.S. FTO list. 
 
5.  CHILDREN:  The U.S. Government continued its 
dialogue with the Government of Sri Lanka regarding the 
problem of trafficking in persons.  The Embassy received 
funding to support National Child Protection Authority 
(NCPA) efforts to increase police investigative capacity 
in cases of juvenile abuse.  The Embassy also is funding 
NCPA's efforts to engage the judiciary in ways to lessen 
the impact on children testifying in such cases.  The 
Embassy also provided assistance to the Don Bosco 
Technical Center for the NGO's work in combating 
trafficking in children and rehabilitating sexually 
exploited children.  The U.S. also funded psycho-social 
support for children affected by the armed conflict. 
(Note:  Regarding children, also see Para 4 above 
regarding U.S. efforts to help convince the LTTE to stop 
child recruitment.) 
 
6.  PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES:  After more than two 
decades of armed conflict, a significant number of Sri 
Lankans in war-torn areas have suffered disabling 
injuries.  In 2003, the U.S. Government continued 
assistance (500,000 USD in 2003) to prosthetic centers 
around the island to address the needs of this 
community.  In addition, U.S. Government funding 
provided for skilled prothetists and orthotists to work 
in Sri Lanka and conduct hands-on training for local 
technicians, as well as support for Sri Lankans to go 
abroad for highly specialized instruction. 
7.  RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:  Multiple attacks on Christian 
churches in Sri Lanka during 2003 led the U.S. 
Government to express deep concern about the violence in 
meetings and contacts with Sri Lankan interlocutors.  As 
part of this effort, the USG urged that those 
responsible for the violence be arrested and prosecuted. 
In speaking with Sri Lankan government officials and 
religious leaders, the USG also expressed concerns about 
draft legislation targeting so-called "unethical 
conversions," noting that the campaign for such 
legislation was a contributing factor in the 
deterioration of the religious freedom situation in the 
country.  The Embassy also used International Visitors 
Program (IVP) grants to further promote human rights and 
religious freedom.  During 2003, for example, two Muslim 
leaders, nominated by the Embassy, participated in an 
"Islam in America" program. 
 
8.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
 
LUNSTEAD