US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO1056

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001056 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, CE, LTTE - Peace Process, Political Parties 
SUBJECT: FACTIONS STILL MONK(EY)ING AROUND WITH JOINT 
MECHANISM 
 
REF: A. COLOMBO 1044 
 
     B. COLOMBO 01052 
 
Classified By: CDA J. ENTWISTLE FOR REASONS 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
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EVENTS OF JUNE 13-14 
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1. (U) On June 13 the President launched a campaign to garner 
public support for the proposed joint mechanism (JM) to 
distribute tsunami aid (Reftel A).  The President has asked 
all the Members of Parliament in her coalition to raise 
awareness about the JM in their constituencies.  She has 
requested that the Secretariat's Media Unit coordinate and 
assist in these efforts.  Print ads in favor of the JM in 
both English and Sinhala have already appeared. 
 
2. (U) Despite these efforts, the President continues to face 
strong opposition.  On June 14 the Janatha Vimukthi Peremuna 
(JVP), the Sinhalese nationalist coalition partner, organized 
a protest march that culminated in a rally at the Town Hall. 
As of COB June 14, it remained peaceful.  Monks from the 
National Bhikku Front (NBF) and members of the National 
Assembly of Organizations against  the Joint Mechanism held a 
concurrent protest in Dehiwela, 10km south of Colombo.  The 
NBF also sent representatives to meet with two Mahanayakes, 
or chief Buddhist prelates, in a bid to have the Mahanayakes 
persuade the President not to sign the JM.  As an 
alternative, they suggested that the President revisit a 
proposal the JVP submitted on May 19 which excluded the 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from involvement in 
determining the disbursement of tsunami aid.  (Comment.  It 
is extremely unlikely that the JVP proposal will be revived 
at this late date. End comment.)  On June 15, JVP-affiliated 
trade unions are slated to rally in protest in Colombo also. 
 
 
3. (U) In her efforts to push forward with the JM, the 
President met Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister 
Ranil Wickremsinghe June 13.  According to press reports, 
during their brief discussion, Wickremsinghe offered 
qualified support for the concept of a JM.  However, he 
reiterated that his party could not pledge full support until 
he and other party leaders had a copy of the JM draft 
proposal.  He also asserted once again that the President 
should have made the draft of the JM available two months 
ago. 
 
4. (SBU) Also on June 13, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse 
met with the JVP.  According to press reports, he asked them 
to engage with other parties in the Government's alliance on 
the JM issue.  The JVP responded that since the terms of the 
JM have already been decided, it is futile to hold 
discussions now.  The Prime Minister also requested that the 
JVP postpone its deadline for withdrawing from the government 
from June 16 to June 30 (Reftel), a request the JVP refused. 
 
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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? 
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5. (C) Sources within the Presidential Secretariat told pol 
FSN that if the JVP resigns from the Government, it is likely 
the President will "prorogue" Parliament, currently set to 
reconvene on June 22.  The prorogue is a uniquely 
Presidential authority granted in Article 70 of the 
Constitution.  If the President invokes this authority, 
Parliament could remain suspended for as long as two months. 
Within that time, the President can either dissolve 
Parliament and call for elections, or negotiate with MPs to 
gather majority support for the JM. 
ENTWISTLE