US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO532

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000532 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015 
TAGS: EAID, PGOV, PREL, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES POST-TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION 
PROBLEMS WITH PRIME MINISTER 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead 
 
 1.  (U) Ambassador called on Prime Minister Mahinda 
Rajapakse March 14 to discuss problems in post-tsunami 
reconstruction.  (n.b., Rajapakse has no formal role to play 
in reconstruction process, since the Prime Minister's 
functions are severely limited under the Sri Lankan 
Constitution.  Rajapakse is an extremely popular and savvy 
politician, however, and we believe it is useful to update 
him on our concerns.)  USAID Mission Director Carol Becker 
also attended, as did PM's Secretary Lalith Weeratunga. 
 
2.  (C) Ambassador told Rajapakse that initial emergency 
phase of tsunami relief had gone well.  US (and other donors) 
were now concerned about reconstruction phase, however. 
There were several problems: 
 
-- No clear coordinating mechanism between different entities 
charged with parts of reconstruction effort:  TAFREN, TAFROR, 
line ministries.  President was in overall charge and she 
could not be approached with every problem. 
 
-- Transitional shelter program was moving very slowly with 
monsoon approaching (end-April).  Disease problems which had 
been averted in the emergency phase could re-appear then if 
people were not moved quickly into suitable shelter. 
Authorities were slow to identify land which donors/NGO's 
could use for transitional shelter construction, or found 
only small plots. 
 
-- Related to this was continuing controversy over 100/200 
meter setback rule.  Affected persons within the exclusion 
zone were reluctant to move to housing further away if it 
meant giving up their chance to ever move back. 
 
Ambassador also raised issue of customs duties being charged 
on relief goods and overall slow clearance of goods from port. 
 
3.  (C) Rajapakse nodded as Ambassador made each of these 
points, indicating that he was already aware of them.  He 
said that he agreed with Ambassador that it would be helpful 
if President appointed an overall coordinator with 
ministerial rank.  He also said that MP's and officials would 
raise concerns with him, but when asked by the President, 
would only say:  "Everything is fine, madam." 
 
4.  Rajapakse, who has his own political differences with 
President Kumaratunga, told Ambassador that he would raise 
these issues with President this week when he traveled to 
Tangalle with her for opening of a luxury hotel.  He also 
urged Ambassador to speak to President directly.  Ambassador 
said that he had requested an appointment with President this 
week for that very purpose. 
 
5.  (C) Ambassador also mentioned that, in addition to the 
substance of these issues, there was also a significant 
public relations question.  Governments and especially 
individual citizens who had contributed so generously to 
tsunami assistance would turn quickly negative if the program 
 
SIPDIS 
were not run right.  Media were already beginning to raise 
questions, as seen in John Lancaster's March 8 Washington 
Post piece which Ambassador handed to PM. 
 
6.  (C) COMMENT:  Though Rajapakse does not control any 
resources or entities related to reconstruction, and although 
he has political issues with President, he may still be able 
to have some influence.  PM told Ambassador that President 
had restricted his tsunami-related activities to his home 
district of Hambantota, where he has been very active.  PM 
had just been discharged from the hospital, where he had been 
admitted last week with severe gastritis.  Doctors told him 
it was a result of his irregular schedule and mealtimes. 
While making light of the issue, PM confided to Ambassador 
that he had been bleeding internally, and had received two 
units of blood. 
LUNSTEAD