US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO833

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000833 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB A/S ANTHONY WAYNE; SA/INS FOR J. BRENNIG, N. 
DEAN; PLEASE PASS TO TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION TASK FORCE; 
TREASURY FOR C. CARNES 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, PGOV, CE, MV, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKAN POST-TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION UPDATE (MAY 
04, 2005) 
 
Ref: a) Colombo 811 b) Colombo 826 c) Colombo 813 
 
This cable is for participants in the May 4 Tsunami IAWG 
Meeting. 
 
1) (U) Per updates from USAID/DART in refs A and B, on the 
ground coordination of relief and transition efforts remains 
largely positive, but with logistical problems primarily 
related to land allocation and continued uncertainty over 
the 100/200 meter buffer zone.  Ref C provides an update on 
Chinese post-tsunami assistance, following the visit of 
Premier Wen Jiabao. 
 
May 12 Private Sector Conference 
-------------------------------- 
2.  (SBU) Mano Tittawella, TAFREN Chairman, and two or three 
private sector representatives will attend on behalf of Sri 
Lanka.  Tittawella has offered himself for meetings with USG 
officials on May 11 and SA/INS is working on setting up 
specific meetings.  Maldives plans to send the following 
participants:  Hon. Abdullah Kamaludeen, Minister of 
Employment and Labour; Mr. Sim Ibrahim Mohamed, Secretary 
General of the Maldives Association of the Tourism Industry; 
Mr. Ibrahim Waheed, President of the Maldives Association of 
the Construction Industry; and one delegate from the 
Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 
 
100/200 Meter Setback 
--------------------- 
3.  (SBU) During a May 3 conversation with Econchief, 
Tittawella said he thought the GSL would begin to relax its 
requirements on the 100/200 meter rule once 25,000 
transitional houses had been constructed.  This will have 
moved those that were able to move easily out of the coastal 
zone, and allow the GSL to focus primarily on those tough 
cases where exceptions may be warranted.  While Tittawella 
was optimistic on this front (and his proximity to the 
President gives his opinion solid credibility), we continue 
to hear from other sources that the President remains rigid 
on this issue.  Much will depend on how fast the remaining 
transitional shelter is completed and how quickly the land 
for permanent housing is allocated.   Regarding the 
possibility of a low-key USG sponsored DVC on coastal zone 
management, Tittawella was encouraging and thought such a 
program would be timely. 
 
VAT 
--- 
4.  (SBU) We have still not received satisfactory answers on 
the USAID value added tax exemption issue.  We are meeting 
with the Finance Ministry again today to discuss and will 
update next week. 
 
Joint Mechanism for Aid to North-East 
------------------------------------- 
5. (U) The President has made a fairly positive statement on 
the need for the joint mechanism during a May 3 meeting with 
religious leaders.  Septel to follow. 
 
ENTWISTLE