US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO546

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000546 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DS FOR DS/IP/ITA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER, MIssion Security 
SUBJECT: AMERICAN NGO RECEIVES THREATS AFTER ELECTION 
SURVEY IS PUBLISHED 
 
1. (SBU)  Summary - On 03/26/04, RSO Colombo was advised by a 
local USAID-funded NGO that its office had received a series 
of anonymous phone and fax threats concerning a local 
newspaper article that publicized the results of an election 
survey funded by the NGO that was favorable to President 
Kumaratunga.  The faxed threat stated, "See what happens to 
your office in a week's time."  The telephone threat stated, 
"Tell your boss to leave the country or his children will be 
playing with cobras."  Two Americans are employed by AED, the 
USAID-funded NGO.  RSO has discussed the threats with the 
American NGO supervisor and it was agreed to increase the 
number of private guards at the NGO office and American 
residence.  One of the Americans may relocate his family to a 
hotel for the weekend, the other American is already in a 
secure high-rise apartment building.  RSO investigation into 
the threats is pending.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) On 03/26/04, at approximately 1500 hours, RSO 
Colombo received a phone call from Mr. Kim DeRidder, American 
supervisor of a USAID-funded NGO named AED.  DeRidder advised 
that his NGO office had received a series of disturbing 
threats during the day apparently in response to a DAILY NEWS 
article that publicized the results of an election survey 
funded by the NGO that was favorable to Sri Lankan President 
Kumaratunga.  In summary, the article claimed President 
Kumaratunga was "best suited" to run the country compared to 
the current Prime Minister.  Emotions have been running high 
in Sri Lanka since President Kumaratunga dissolved Parliament 
last month and called for new elections April 2. 
 
3. (SBU) The first threat was phoned in to the NGO at 
approximately 1030 hours this morning, and was characterized 
by the NGO as "verbally abusive."  A fax that arrived at 1258 
hours, however, stated, among other abusive language, "See 
what happens to your office in a week's time."  Then, at 1320 
hours, an unidentified man spoke to the AmCit's secretary and 
stated, "Tell your boss to leave the country or his children 
will be playing with cobras."  That phone call originated 
from the telephone number 461-5506. 
 
4. (SBU) After discussing the threats with the RSO, Mr. 
DeRidder agreed it would be a good idea to put a double guard 
on both the NGO office and his residence.  The other AmCit 
employee, Scott Melendez, is already a resident of a large 
high-rise apartment building that has 24-hour private 
security coverage.  RSO investigation into the threats is 
ongoing. 
 
5. (SBU) RSO Comment: National elections are scheduled for 
April 2, and although incidents of violence are surprisingly 
lower than expected thus far, Sri Lanka has a history of 
election violence.  An estimated fifty people were killed in 
the 2001 elections.  Local newspapers are notoriously 
inaccurate and biased in their reporting, and the article in 
question did in fact make a strong point that the 
controversial survey was USAID-funded.    RSO will 
investigate the threats to include attempts to trace the 
phone numbers from which the threats were made, and will 
maintain a dialog with the NGO on appropriate security 
recommendations. 
LUNSTEAD