US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO399

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000399 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS; NSC FOR DORMANDY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, PTER, CE, Tsunami, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: FORMER PRESIDENTS BUSH AND CLINTON 
DISCUSS TSUNAMI RECOVERY WITH PRESIDENT KUMARATUNGA - 
CORRECTION TO ADD ADDRESSEE HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  In a February 20 meeting, 
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga 
offered former Presidents George H.W. Bush and 
William J. Clinton an assessment of Sri Lanka's 
post-tsunami progress, including immediate 
relief efforts and longer-term reconstruction 
plans.  President Kumaratunga also described 
cooperation between the Government of Sri Lanka 
(GSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 
(LTTE), whom she described as "flexible" and 
interested in working with the GSL to set up 
reconstruction mechanisms in LTTE areas.  In 
order to aid its economic recovery, the GSL 
requested G-7 debt relief for Sri Lanka's USD 
1.5 billion of debt, as well as duty relief for 
the apparel industry.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (U) Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and 
William J. Clinton met Sri Lankan President 
Chandrika Kumaratunga for a discussion and 
dinner on February 20.  At the discussion, 
former Presidents Bush and Clinton were 
accompanied by Ambassador to Sri Lanka Jeffrey 
J. Lunstead; Ambassador Douglas Hartwick; Mark 
Ward, USAID Deputy Administrator for Near East 
and Asia; Carol Becker, USAID Mission Director 
for Sri Lanka; Jean Becker, Chief of Staff to 
former President Bush; and Laura Graham, Chief 
of Staff to former President Clinton.  President 
Kumaratunga was joined by Lakshman Kadirgamar, 
Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mangala 
Samaraweera, Minister of Ports, Aviation, Media 
and Information; P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to 
the Ministry of Finance and Planning; Mano 
Titawella; Chairman of Task Force to Rebuild the 
Nation (TAFREN); H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, Secretary 
to the Foreign Ministry; and W.J.S. Karunaratne, 
Secretary to President Kumaratunga. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Immediate GSL Disaster Response 
------------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (U) In the pre-dinner discussion, Sri Lankan 
President Chandrika Kumaratunga offered former 
Presidents Bush and Clinton an assessment of Sri 
Lanka's post-tsunami progress.  She explained 
that while Sri Lanka was not prepared for such a 
disaster, the Sri Lankan people "rallied round 
magnificently" after the waves hit, collecting 
food and medication for immediate distribution 
to affected areas.  The Government of Sri Lanka 
(GSL) relief efforts, including food 
distribution to conflict-affected areas in the 
north and east, began immediately.  Where the 
government was not able to go, the Sri Lankan 
people went themselves, filling in the gaps. 
President Kumaratunga noted that as a result 
there "was no starvation and no epidemics." 
Immediately after the tsunami, the GSL opened a 
National Operations Center, housed in the 
President's Office, to coordinate the efforts of 
the GSL and various UN and other agencies. 
 
4.  (U) Within three weeks of the December 26 
tsunami, Kumaratunga said, the GSL had assessed 
 
SIPDIS 
damage to infrastructure--roads, hospitals, 
schools, and water supplies--and formed a 
special task force to plan reconstruction 
efforts.  Under the direction of Chairman Mano 
Titawella (who sat in on the meeting), the Task 
Force to Rebuild the Nation (TAFREN) began to 
match assistance efforts with identified 
reconstruction projects.  President Kumaratunga 
also praised the work of U.S. Marines, and said 
they did "a brilliant job." 
 
5.  (U) Both former U.S. Presidents inquired 
about efforts to replace tsunami-destroyed 
fishing boats, which President Kumaratunga 
numbered at over 15,000.  She admitted that 
replacing these boats, "not an easy thing to 
get," was a large short-term economic challenge 
facing Sri Lanka. 
 
Habitation Banned in 100 m Coastal Zone 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
-- 
 
6.  (SBU) President Kumaratunga discussed the 
GSL's ban on building dwellings within 100 m of 
the sea, explaining that after the 
identification of a geological fault line 300 km 
south of the island, "Sri Lanka is now in a 
danger zone."  People displaced from these areas 
will be able to keep land within the 100 m zone, 
but will not be able to live on it.  Landless 
Sri Lankans displaced from the zone will be 
given parcels of GSL land, including deeds of 
ownership. 
 
President Kumaratunga's Post-Tsunami View of the 
LTTE 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
----------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU) President George H.W. Bush inquired 
about cooperation between Tamil people in the 
north and the GSL.  President Kumaratunga noted 
that there is a distinction between Tamil 
citizens and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil 
Eelam (LTTE), who describe themselves as the 
"sole representatives of the Tamil people."  The 
President added, "The Tamil people do not 
consider (this to be true)," but the LTTE has 
successfully eliminated all other leaders." 
People in the north, she said, "do not dare open 
their mouths against the LTTE."  President 
Kumaratunga referenced the suicide bomber who 
tried to kill her in 1999, "She took an eye from 
me, but not more," and explained that for the 
sake of peace, there is a nearly three-year old 
ceasefire agreement with the LTTE in effect. 
She noted that the LTTE violates the ceasefire 
agreement "here and there," referring 
specifically to child conscription, but, "apart 
from that, at least there is no war." 
 
8.  (SBU) After 16 or 17 years of disdaining 
government offers to develop Tamil areas, 
President Kumaratunga explained, the LTTE has 
for the first time decided to pursue development 
in areas in the north.  Although the LTTE does 
not like the GSL to be in those areas, they "do 
like the UN agencies working there," including 
UNICEF, UNHCR and UNDP.  After the tsunami, 
President Kumaratunga said that the LTTE has 
been "rather flexible," and had asked to talk to 
the GSL about a practical reconstruction 
mechanism in their areas.  For its part, she 
continued, the GSL sent relief supplies like 
food, vehicles and water pumps to the north 
immediately after the tsunami. 
 
Post-Tsunami Economic Challenges 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
9.  (SBU) President Clinton asked President 
Kumaratunga if there was one specific request he 
and President Bush could take back to the U.S. 
The President turned to Secretary to the 
Ministry of Finance and Planning P.B. 
Jayasundera, who responded that G-7 debt relief 
for Sri Lanka's USD 1.5 billion of debt and duty 
concessions in the apparel industry would be 
most helpful.  TAFREN Chairman Mano Titawella 
added that apparel duties could be addressed 
through a Free Trade Agreement (N.B.  The 
Central Bank of Sri Lanka has already formally 
requested a one-year deferral of debt payments 
under the G-7 initiative.  It was not clear if 
Jayasundera was referring to this proposal, or 
if he was suggesting additional debt relief.  We 
will contact him to clarify.) 
 
10.  (SBU) President Kumaratunga explained that 
apparel is Sri Lanka's major export, with most 
garments destined for the U.S.  She asked for a 
one to two year extension, "or until we recover 
from tsunami shock," of the Multi-Fiber 
Agreement (MFA). Jayasundera noted that by 
increasing apparel exports, the GSL hopes to 
make up for lost tourism revenues. 
 
11.  (SBU) Ambassador Lunstead pointed out that 
another positive message President Bush and 
President Clinton could take back to the U.S. is 
to encourage tourists to return to Sri Lanka by 
reminding them that most of the country is 
unharmed, as only a narrow band of land was 
affected by the tsunami.  President Kumaratunga 
seconded this idea enthusiastically. 
 
12.  (U) President Kumaratunga, addressing 
Presidents Bush and Clinton, expressed her deep 
appreciation to both men for taking time "to 
come all this way to see the devastation," and 
for the assistance the USG and the UN has given 
Sri Lanka.  She also said that what mattered 
most was the concern and humanitarian warmth 
shown by the USG and the American people. 
 
13.  (U) Former Presidents Bush and Clinton did 
not have the opportunity to clear this cable. 
 
LUNSTEAD 
LUNSTEAD