US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO887

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 COLOMBO 000887 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS, S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PHUM, PGOV, EAID, CE, LTTE - Peace Process, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: VISIT TO BATTICALOA: PESSIMISM PERVADES VIEWS ON 
RECONSTRUCTION AND THE PEACE PROCESS 
 
REF: A. COLOMBO 00870 
     B. COLOMBO 00786 
 
Classified By: DCM JAMES F. ENTWISTLE.  REASON:  1.4 (B,D) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY: ON A MAY 9-11 TRIP TO BATTICALOA IN SRI 
LANKA'S TURBULENT EASTERN PROVINCE, POLOFF, INFORMATION 
OFFICER, A/RSO,AND POL FSN MET WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
OFFICIALS, PEACE MONITORS, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL AND 
INTERNATIONAL NGOS TO ASSESS THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND AND 
VIEWS REGARDING TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION, THE SECURITY 
SITUATION, AND THE PEACE PROCESS.  OVERALL THE MOOD ON ALL 
FRONTS WAS GRIM, A FEELING EXACERBATED BY THE MAY 9 KILLING 
OF A TAMIL CIVILIAN BY THE SECURITY FORCES AND THE SUBSEQUENT 
HARTAL (STRIKE) THAT SHUT DOWN THE CITY (REF A).  LIKE MOST 
OF THE ISLAND'S EAST COAST, BATTICALOA SUFFERED HEAVY TSUNAMI 
DAMAGE, AND THERE WERE FEW SIGNS THAT RECONSTRUCTION HAD 
BEGUN.  IN CONVERSATIONS WITH POLOFF, REPRESENTATIVES FROM 
THE VARIOUS NGOS COMPLAINED THAT AFTER A PROMISING INITIAL 
HUMANITARIAN EFFORT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TSUNAMI, PROGRESS 
APPEARED TO BE SLOWING.  ON THE SECURITY SITUATION, 
INTERLOCUTORS REPORTED THAT MORE CHECKPOINTS WERE GOING UP 
AND THAT LOCAL MILITARY INSTALLATIONS WERE EXPANDING AND 
REINFORCING THEIR DEFENSES.  ALTHOUGH NONE OF THE 
INTERLOCUTORS BELIEVED WAR WAS IMMINENT, THE GENERAL 
CONSENSUS WAS THAT THE SITUATION ON BOTH THE HUMANITARIAN AND 
SECURITY FRONTS WAS HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
2.  (C) POLOFF AND POL FSN TRAVELED TO BATTICALOA FROM MAY 9 
TO 11 TO GAUGE THE AREA'S HUMANITARIAN AND SECURITY 
SITUATION, ESPECIALLY FOLLOWING WEEKS OF NEGATIVE PRESS 
REPORTING ESCALATING VIOLENCE IN THE REGION AND POOR PROGRESS 
ON TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION.  UNFORTUNATELY, BATTICALOA'S 
REPUTATION AS ONE OF SRI LANKA'S MOST VOLATILE CITIES HIT 
HOME ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE VISIT WHEN A PROTEST AGAINST A 
NEW LOCAL SECURITY CHECKPOINT GREW VIOLENT.  SECURITY FORCES 
OPENED FIRE ON THE CROWD, KILLING ONE ELDERLY CIVILIAN AND 
WOUNDING DOZENS MORE (REF A).  THE RESULTING HARTAL 
(STRIKE)--ONE OF THE MOST STRICTLY ENFORCED AND WIDELY 
HONORED IN THE REGION IN A LONG TIME, ACCORDING TO 
LOCALS--SHUT DOWN THE CITY THE NEXT DAY AND RESTRICTED 
OFFICIALS FROM BOTH THE EMBASSY AND ALL INTERNATIONAL 
ORGANIZATIONS TO THEIR HOTELS. 
 
3.  (C) BEFORE THE HARTAL, HOWEVER, POLOFF AND POL FSN WERE 
ABLE TO VISIT THE COASTAL AREAS AROUND BATTICALOA TO ASSESS 
THE LEVEL OF DAMAGE AND PACE OF RECONSTRUCTION AFTER THE 
TSUNAMI.  THERE WERE FEW, IF ANY, NOTICEABLE SIGNS OF 
 
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RECONSTRUCTION, AND MOST VICTIMS WERE STILL LIVING IN TENTS 
NEXT TO THE REMAINS OF THEIR PROPERTY.  OVERALL, THE MOOD IN 
BATTICALOA ITSELF WAS TENSE, AND ON THE DRIVE OUT OF THE CITY 
ON MAY 11 POLOFF SAW THE SMOLDERING REMAINS OF THE IMPROMPTU 
TIRE BLOCKADES AND MILES OF BLACK FLAGS LINING BUILDINGS AND 
POLES THAT THE LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM (LTTE) 
REPORTEDLY HAD ERECTED AS PART OF THEIR PROTEST. 
 
TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION FACING INCREASING HURDLES 
 
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--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
4.  (C) POLOFF MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM UNICEF, THE 
ICRC, THE DUTCH REFUGEE-FOCUSED NGO "ZOA," THE FOUNDATION FOR 
CO-EXISTENCE, THE GOVERNMENT AGENT'S OFFICE, AND THE TAMIL 
NATIONAL ALLIANCE (TNA) TO DISCUSS THEIR VIEWS ON THE PACE OF 
RECONSTRUCTION AND THE PROBLEMS THAT REMAIN.  PREDICTABLY, 
THE GOVERNMENT AGENT--MR. V. SHANMUGAM--WAS THE MOST SANGUINE 
OF THE INTERLOCUTORS AND DID NOT STRAY FAR FROM THE OFFICIAL 
GOVERNMENT LINE.  SHANMUGAM TOUTED THE GOVERNMENT'S RELIEF 
EFFORTS AND PLEDGED THAT 3,500 SEMI-PERMANENT HOUSES FOR 
VICTIMS WOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE MONTH AND THAT 
THE GOVERNMENT WAS PROVIDING 2,500 RUPEE GRANTS TO ALL 
VICTIMS.  HE DOWNPLAYED ANY POTENTIAL PROBLEMS THAT THE 
PROPOSED 200 METER BUFFER ZONE FROM THE COAST MIGHT PROVOKE 
AMONG SURVIVORS, STATING THAT LAND WAS EASILY BEING FOUND TO 
RELOCATE VICTIMS AND THAT ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAD COMPLAINED TO 
HIS OFFICE ABOUT BEING FORCED TO MOVE INLAND.  WHILE HE 
REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE POLITICS BEHIND WINNING SUPPORT FOR 
THE JOINT MECHANISM FOR AID DISTRIBUTION IN THE NORTH AND 
EAST, HE MAINTAINED THAT THE MECHANISM WOULD DEFINITELY EASE 
AND STREAMLINE AID EFFORTS.  INTERESTINGLY, MEMBERS OF 
PARLIAMENT FROM THE LTTE-AFFILIATED TNA WERE ALSO RELATIVELY 
SANGUINE ABOUT TSUNAMI RECONSTRUCTION AND SUPPORTED THE IDEA 
OF A BUFFER ZONE AND THE JOINT MECHANISM.  THEIR COMMENTS ON 
THE MECHANISM WERE MOSTLY AIMED AT ATTACKING EFFORTS BY THE 
JANATHA VIMUKTHI PERAMUNA (JVP) TO SABOTAGE THE MECHANISM. 
 
5.  (C) THE VARIOUS NGOS WERE MORE CANDID IN THEIR 
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT, CAVEATING THAT 
WHAT SEEMED LIKE A PROMISING START TO POST-TSUNAMI AID HAS 
NOW BECOME BOGGED DOWN IN CONFUSION, MISCOMMUNICATION, AND 
BUREAUCRATIC BOTTLENECKS.  ANDREA JAMES, HEAD OF THE LOCAL 
UNICEF OFFICE, WARNED THAT CONFUSION AND FRUSTRATION OVER THE 
BUFFER ZONE PROPOSAL HAS IMPINGED UPON THEIR PROGRAMS.  SHE 
LABELED THE CONSULTATION PROCESS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT ON 
ONE SIDE AND THE PEOPLE AND NGOS ON THE OTHER AS "POOR" AND 
LAMENTED THE GOVERNMENT'S INABILITY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION 
AND CLARITY ON OFFICIAL POLICIES.  PHILLIP GREENE OF ZOA 
ECHOED THESE COMPLAINTS AND IDENTIFIED BUREAUCRATIC 
BOTTLENECKS--MAINLY EMANATING FROM COLOMBO RATHER THAN LOCAL 
OFFICIALS IN HIS VIEW--AND A LACK OF CLARITY AND GOOD 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT AS THE TWO BIGGEST PROBLEMS 
FACING NGOS IN THEIR AID EFFORTS. 
 
6.  (C) BOTH GREENE AND NICOLAS VON ARX OF THE ICRC 
COMPLAINED THAT THEIR INTERACTION WITH THE LOCAL AGENT HAD 
BEEN AD HOC AT BEST AND THAT SHANMUGAM SEEMINGLY LOOKED 
TOWARD THE NGOS FOR ADVICE ON HOW THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MOVE 
FORWARD WITH AID.  GREENE WENT ON TO STATE THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO BE CHANGING THE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND 
ADDING LAYERS OF BUREAUCRACY WITH EVERY PASSING WEEK.  HE 
CITED ZOA'S EFFORTS TO MOVE TSUNAMI VICTIMS TO TRANSITIONAL 
HOUSING AWAY FROM THE COAST AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S 
EVER-CHANGING REGULATIONS.  HE CLAIMED THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE 
TSUNAMI ZOA WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY A PLOT OF LAND AND RELOCATE 
 
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TSUMANI VICTIMS QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY, BUT SIMILAR 
 
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SUBSEQUENT EFFORTS HAVE BEEN BOGGED DOWN IN GOVERNMENT 
REDTAPE AND NO ADDITIONAL VICTIMS HAVE BEEN MOVED SINCE THE 
INITIAL TRANCHE. 
 
7.  (C) ALL THE NGO REPRESENTATIVES WARNED THAT THE GROWING 
FRUSTRATION AMONG INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE (IDPS) FROM THE 
ETHNIC CONFLICT--MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR MORE 
THAN A DEACDE--ABOUT THE SEEMING DISPARITY IN AID BEING 
PROVIDED TO THEM VERSUS THAT FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS COULD BECOME 
A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR BOTH THE AID EFFORT AND THE AREA'S 
GENERAL SECURITY SITUATION.  PHILLIP GREENE MENTIONED THAT 
TENSIONS WERE ALSO HIGH RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE TSUNAMI 
DAMAGE ZONE, WHERE RESIDENTS WHO WERE RELATIVELY UNAFFECTED 
BY THE TSUNAMI YET WHOSE ECONOMIC SITUATION HAS BEEN AFFECTED 
BY THE CIVIL WAR WERE INCREASINGLY JEALOUS OF THEIR NEIGHBORS 
WITHIN THE TSUNAMI ZONE WHO WERE RECEIVING AID.  IN AN EFFORT 
TO STIFLE SOME OF THIS DISCONTENT, UNICEF AND ICRC 
REPRESENTATIVES SAID THEY HAVE BEEN REQUESTING THAT SOME OF 
THE HUGE INFLUX OF MONEY FOR THE TSUNAMI BE SPREAD ACROSS THE 
NORTH AND EAST TO ADDRESS THE AREA'S MYRIAD OF OTHER 
HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS. 
 
8.  (C) WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE DEGREE OF THE LTTE'S COOPERATION 
WITH BOTH THE NGOS AND THE GOVERNMENT, ANDREA JAMES COMMENTED 
THAT IN HER OPINION BATTICALOA HAS NOT SEEN THE SAME DEGREE 
OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE TIGERS THAT HAS 
BEEN SEEN IN LTTE-CONTROLLED AREAS.  SHE ADDED THAT IN THE 
EASTERN REGION THE LTTE IS NOT AS VISIBLE, GIVEN THEIR LACK 
OF CONTROL.  IN THE END, HOWEVER, SHE BELIEVED THAT DESPITE 
THE REGION'S POLITICAL BAGGAGE, AID WAS FLOWING TO ALL WHO 
NEEDED IT. 
 
RELIGIOUS NGOS NOT CAUSING PROBLEMS 
----------------------------------- 
 
9.  (C) IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE 
BEHAVIOR OF RELGIOUS NGOS INVOLVED IN POST TSUNAMI 
RECONSTRUCTION, POLOFF ASKED THE NGO REPRESENTATIVES IF THE 
ISSUE OF RELIGION HAD BECOME A POINT OF FRICTION BETWEEN SOME 
OF THE MORE RELIGIOUSLY-ORIENTED NGOS AND THE LOCAL 
POPULATION.  ACROSS THE BOARD, THE INTERLOCUTORS STATED THAT 
THEY HAD HEARD OF FEW SUCH PROBLEMS OR COMPLAINTS.  THEY WERE 
QUICK TO NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT GIVEN THE AREA'S DISTANCE FROM 
COLOMBO AND ITS REPUTATION AS A VOLATILE AREA, BATTICALOA HAD 
NOT WITNESSED THE SAME INFLUX OF NGOS AS THE SOUTH AND THAT 
MOST OF THE MORE RELIGIOUS AND LESS ESTABLISHED NGOS LIKELY 
OPTED TO OPERATE IN THE SOUTH, THEREBY SAVING BATTICALOA FROM 
ANY POTENTIAL RELIGIOUS BLOWBACK. 
 
SECURITY SITUATION REMAINS TENSE 
-------------------------------- 
 
10.  (C) INTERLOCUTORS GENERALLY DESCRIBED THE TREND IN THE 
AREA'S SECURITY TO BE NEGATIVE.  ELISABETH SETTEMSDAL 
(PROTECT) OF THE LOCAL SRI LANKAN MONITORING MISSION (SLMM) 
OFFICE IDENTIFIED TWO NEGATIVE TRENDS IN THE VIOLENCE AND 
COMPLAINTS HER OFFICE IS CHARGED WITH INVESTIGATING.  FIRST, 
SHE STATED THAT THE INTERNECINE VIOLENCE IN THE AREA--WHICH 
SHE QUICKLY NOTED WAS ESCALATING--APPEARS TO BE SPREADING 
WESTWARD TOWARD THE DISTRICT BORDER WITH POLONNARUWA AND 
CITED RECENT LTTE ATTACKS ON ALLEGED KARUNA CAMPS NEAR 
WELIKANDA (REF. B).  SECOND, SHE STATED THAT WHATEVER COMITY 
THAT HAD EXISTED BETWEEN THE SRI LANKAN ARMY (SLA) AND THE 
LTTE HAD ERODED OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.  SHE HIGHLIGHTED 
THE FACT THAT, UNLIKE IN THE RECENT PAST, THE SLMM HAS BEEN 
UNABLE TO MEET JOINTLY WITH BOTH THE LTTE AND THE SLA AND HAS 
NOW BEEN FORCED TO MEET THEM SEPARATELY.  SHE WAS QUICK TO 
ADD, HOWEVER, THAT COOPERATION WITH BOTH SIDES REMAINS GOOD 
BUT DID ADMIT THAT THE SLA HAS BEEN MORE "OPEN" AND 
FORTHCOMING THAN THE LTTE WHEN DEALING WITH THE SLMM.  ON THE 
POSITIVE SIDE, SETTEMSDAL NOTED THAT REPORTS OF CHILD 
ABDUCTIONS BY THE LTTE HAVE DECLINED IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. 
HOWEVER, SETTEMSDAL EXPRESSED SOME WORRY THAT PEOPLE WERE NOT 
COMING TO THE SLMM WITH COMPLAINTS OF CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS AS 
OFTEN AS THEY DID IN PREVIOUS YEARS, EVEN THOUGH VIOLENCE AND 
TENSION HAD INCREASED IN THAT PERIOD.  SHE DID NOT OFFER AN 
EXPLANATION FOR THE DECREASE IN COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS. 
 
11.  (C) NGO INTERLOCUTORS, SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN IN 
BATTICALOA FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE 
SECURITY SITUATION WAS DETERIORATING; NONE, HOWEVER, SEEMED 
TO BELIEVE THAT THE CEASEFIRE WAS IN DANGER OF BREAKING. 
PHILLIP GREENE ECHOED MANY CITIZENS' COMPLAINTS THAT NEW 
CHECKPOINTS WERE GOING UP "ALMOST OVER NIGHT," STIRRING UP 
FEAR AND RESENTMENT IN THE LOCAL POPULATION.  HE SAID THAT 
SINCE HIS ARRIVAL LAST OCTOBER THE LOCAL SECURITY FORCES HAVE 
EXPANDED THE FORTIFICATIONS AND BARBED WIRE AROUND THEIR 
CAMPS AND OTHER INSTALLATIONS.  EVEN THOUGH SUCH MEASURES 
WERE PROBABLY WARRANTED IN HIS OPINION, GIVEN THE VOLATILE 
LAW AND ORDER SITUATION IN THE AREA, GREENE LAMENTED THE 
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT THE MEASURES WAS HAVING ON THE LOCAL 
POPULATION, RHETORICALLY ASKING WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE THE 
GOVERNMENT WAS TRYING TO SEND. 
 
WORRIES, BUT NO EVIDENCE, OF GROWING MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISM 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
12.  (C) THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AMONG THE INTERLOCUTORS ABOUT 
THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN THE EAST WAS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 
NASCENT SIGNS OF GROWING FUNDAMENTALISM IN THE LOCAL 
COMMUNITY BUT THAT SUCH A TREND HAD YET TO REACH WORRISOME 
LEVELS.  LOCALS REPORT THAT MORE MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE AREA ARE 
WEARING THE VEIL, AND BURQAS ARE ALSO MORE PREVALENT THAN IN 
PREVIOUS YEARS.  SETTEMSDAL REPORTED THAT LOCAL SECURITY 
FORCES BELIEVED THAT AT LEAST FOUR SMALL ARMED MILITANT 
GROUPS WERE OPERATING IN KATTANKUDI, A MUSLIM-DOMINATED AREA 
SOUTH OF BATTICALOA CITY, BUT BOTH SHE AND OTHER 
INTERLOCUTORS NOTED THAT THEY DID NOT THINK THAT THIS GREATER 
RELIGIOSITY HAS TRANSLATED INTO ANTI-AMERICAN OR VIOLENT 
DISPOSITIONS.  IN FACT, SETTEMSDAL REPORTED THAT A LOCAL IMAM 
WHO WAS CONDONING ANTI-AMERICAN AND VIOLENT TACTICS IN HIS 
SERMONS LAST YEAR ONLY MANAGED TO BUILD A SMALL FOLLOWING AND 
WAS LATER ATTACKED BY MORE MODERATE MUSLIMS AND FORCED TO 
FLEE. V. KAMALADAS OF THE FOUNDATION FOR CO-EXISTENCE, A 
LOCAL NGO, OPINED THAT FOREIGN BACKING FROM THE GULF AND 
SAUDI ARABIA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NASCENT FUNDAMENTALISM 
IN THE COMMUNITY.  WHILE ALMOST UNANIMOUS IN THEIR BELIEF 
THAT MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISM WAS NOT A PROBLEM IN THE EAST FOR 
NOW, THEY ALL AGREED THAT IT COULD BE A FACTOR IN THE 
LONG-TERM AND SHOULD THEREFORE BE MONITORED. 
 
DISAFFECTED YOUTH 
----------------- 
 
13.  (C) IN A MEETING WITH POLOFF AND INFORMATION OFFICER, 
SEVEN STUDENTS FROM EASTERN UNIVERSITY EXPRESSED CONCERN 
ABOUT THEIR OWN FUTURES AS WELL AS THAT OF THE CITY.  THE 
STUDENTS ADMITTED THAT THE LTTE CLOSELY MONITORS THE 
UNIVERSITY AND ITS STUDENTS AND THAT MANY STUDENTS HAVE 
EXPRESSED STRONG AFFILIATION WITH THE ORGANIZATION IN THE 
PAST.  THE STUDENTS DENIED ANY INTERACTION BETWEEN THE 
STUDENT BODY AND THE KARUNA FACTION.  ALTHOUGH THEY ADMITTED 
THAT THE CEASEFIRE HAD BROUGHT HOPE FOR THE FUTURE AND 
IMPROVED THEIR ABILITY TO PURSUE A HIGHER EDUCATION, THE 
STUDENTS REPORTED THAT THE ONGOING LEVELS OF VIOLENCE IN THE 
REGION AND THE FREQUENT SHUTDOWNS OF THE UNIVERSITY HAD 
DELAYED THEIR GRADUATION BY AT LEAST A YEAR.  AFTER A 
RELATIVELY IMPROVED PERIOD FOLLOWING THE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT 
(CFA), THE STUDENTS WERE FEARFUL THAT THINGS WERE GETTING 
WORSE AND "GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION."  THEY CITED THE 
PLETHORA OF NEW SECURITY CHECKPOINTS AND THE PREVIOUS DAY'S 
SHOOTING OF A PROTESTOR AS EVIDENCE OF THIS TREND.  THERE WAS 
A CONSENSUS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT COMMITTED TO THE 
PEACE PROCESS AND DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE FEELINGS OF 
EASTERNERS.  ONE STUDENT NOTED THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD NEVER 
VISITED BATTICALOA IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.  MANY CONFESSED 
THAT, DESPITE THEIR DESIRE TO STAY IN BATTICALOA TO HELP 
REBUILD THEIR COMMUNITY, THEY WOULD BE FORCED TO MOVE SOUTH 
BECAUSE BATTICALOA OFFERED FEW JOB PROSPECTS.  THEY OPINED 
THAT THE AREA'S HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT COUPLED WITH A DEARTH OF 
TAMIL RIGHTS WOULD LEAD "IDLE MINDS TO SWING TOWARDS 
MILITANCY." 
 
14.  (C) THE STUDENTS BELIEVED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S LACK OF 
INTEREST IN TAMIL GRIEVANCES WAS APPARENT IN ITS RESPONSE TO 
THE TSUNAMI IN THE AREA.  ALL THE STUDENTS STATED THAT 
RECONSTRUCTION WAS MOVING SLOWLY BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WAS 
NOT AS INTERESTED IN THE EAST'S REHABILITATION AS IT IS FOR 
THE SOUTH, REMARKING THAT "TAMILS THINK WE'RE NOT GETTING 
WHAT OTHERS GET."  THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT 
WOULD SIGN THE JOINT MECHANISM, EVEN THOUGH THEY THOUGHT IT 
WAS CRUCIAL TO BOTH THE RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT AND PEACE 
PROCESS. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
15.  (C) BATTICALOA TRULY FEELS LIKE A DIFFERENT COUNTRY AND, 
LIKE JAFFNA IN THE NORTH, IT IS FAR FROM COLOMBO IN TERMS OF 
CULTURE AND OUTLOOK.  THE ONLY REAL VESTIGES OF COLOMBO'S 
INFLUENCE ARE THE GOVERNMENT AGENT (WHOM THE LTTE SEEMS TO BE 
ABLE TO QUICKLY INTIMIDATE INTO SUBMISSION), THE EVER-PRESENT 
ARMED GOVERNMENT SECURITY FORCES, AND THE UBIQUITOUS 
CHECKPOINTS.  THUS, MANY IN THE EAST PERCEIVE "COLOMBO" AS 
BEING OUT OF TOUCH AND PERFORMING POORLY ON TSUNAMI RECOVERY. 
 THE STRENGTH OF THE HARTAL, THE PREVALENCE OF THE BLACK 
FLAGS, AND THE PROFESSED FEAR OF THE LTTE AMONG LOCAL 
STUDENTS SHOW THE PULL THAT THE LTTE RETAINS IN THE AREA.  IT 
IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE MOOD IN THE EAST IS GLUM.  WHILE 
THE CEASEFIRE APPEARS SAFE FOR NOW, THE ESCALATION IN 
VIOLENCE AND THE LTTE'S REFUSAL TO MEET WITH THE SLA MAKE 
BATTICALOA PERHAPS THE WEAKEST LINK IN THE ISLAND'S 
STABILITY. 
LUNSTEAD