US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO439

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000439 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  03/11/14 
TAGS: AMGT, CE, MV, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 039 (03/11/04) 
 
Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reasons 
1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
CONTENTS:  FONSEC'S REMARKS RE KARUNA 
 
FONSEC'S REMARKS RE KARUNA 
-------------------------- 
 
1.  (C) The Ambassador met March 11 with Foreign 
Secretary Bernard Goonetilleke.  As Goonetilleke is also 
 
SIPDIS 
chief of Sri Lanka's Peace Secretariat, the discussion 
focused mostly on the situation in the east. 
Goonetilleke -- who is clearly spending much time on the 
matter -- made the following key points: 
 
-- Goonetilleke said he believed that a recent report 
that cadre in the east had absconded with Tiger funds 
may have been one of the factor's that precipitated 
Karuna's split (the Indian DCM mentioned this same 
report to the DCM yesterday -- see Colombo 435).  On 
this point, he related that on February 19 the Tigers 
asked the Sri Lankan military for a helicopter to 
transport Karuna and Trinco Tiger leader Pathuman to the 
Vanni.  Goonetilleke felt that this was Karuna "being 
summoned" to the Vanni to account for the missing money. 
This request was never approved (the Defense Ministry 
and President's office never gave the green light), but 
a March 1 request for a helicopter to take Pathuman to 
the Vanni was.  Goonetilleke said he felt that Tiger 
intelligence chief Pottu Aman was "out to get" Karuna 
over this money matter and other items. 
 
-- Goonetilleke said he thought that Karuna might have 
more fighting troops than Prabhakaran.  He doubted, 
however, whether Karuna had enough military supplies or 
money to sustain his cadre if fighting began.  Barring 
an independent line to the Tamil diaspora, Goonetilleke 
thought that ultimately, logistics would do Karuna in. 
Goonetilleke added that he did not think that the Vanni 
would launch a full-scale attack on the east, but rather 
would try to "starve Karuna out" and entice his cadre 
away. 
 
--  The GSL plans to remain removed from the LTTE 
dispute.  One main item that the GSL was concerned 
about, Goonetilleke said, was that any fighting between 
pro-Karuna and pro-Prabhakaran factions in the east be 
contained in LTTE-controlled areas, and not spill over 
into the areas that the GSL controls. 
 
-- Goonetilleke related that he had heard a report that 
Karuna had, earlier today, offered to rejoin the Vanni 
if he was ensured "independence" in the east. 
Goonetilleke did not think that the dispute could be 
papered over at this point, however. 
(POL) 
 
LUNSTEAD