US embassy cable - 92COLOMBO6961

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 06961 
 
 
S/CT FOR REAP 
 
E.O. 12356:  N/A 
TAGS:  PTER, CE 
SUBJECT:  SRI LANKA: 1992 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF.:  STATE 338430 
 
1.  EMBASSY'S SUBMISSION FOR THE 1992 ANNUAL 
TERRORISM REPORT BEGINS IN PARA TWO BELOW.  RESPONSES 
ARE KEYED TO QUERIES LISTED IN REFTEL. 
 
2.  BEGIN REPORT: 
 
A) PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM 
AND/OR SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM:  THERE 
WERE NO PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL 
TERRORISM OR SIGNIFICANT ACTS OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM. 
 
B) EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FOR 
PROSECUTION:  NONE 
 
C) SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENTS TO PROSECUTION AND/OR 
EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS:  THERE ARE NO 
LEGAL IMPEDIMENTS TO THE EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED 
TERRORISTS FROM SRI LANKA.  GSL OFFICIALS CITE 
SEVERAL REASONS FOR NOT RESPONDING TO AN INDIAN 
GOVERNMENT REQUEST FOR THE EXTRADITION OF LTTE LEADER 
V. PRABHAKARAN.  THEY EXPLAIN THAT THEIR EFFORTS TO 
CAPTURE PRABHAKARAN HAVE FAILED AND THAT SRI LANKAN 
COURTS HAVE PRIORITY IN TRYING PERSONS CHARGED WITH 
PERPETRATING ACTS OF TERRORISM ON SRI LANKAN SOIL. 
THEY NOTE AS WELL THAT SRI LANKAN SECURITY FORCES ARE 
ENGAGED IN A CONTINUING EFFORT TO END LTTE TERRORISM 
AND THAT SRI LANKA IS ONE OF ONLY TWO REGIONAL 
GOVERNMENTS TO BRING LOCAL LAW IN LINE WITH A 
REGIONAL ANTI-TERRORISM CONVENTION SIGNED BY THE 
SOUTH ASIA ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION 
(SAARC). 
 
D) HOST GOVERNMENT RESPONSES OTHER THAN PROSECUTION: 
THE FIGHT AGAINST LTTE TERRORISM IS A TOP ITEM ON THE 
GSL'S AGENDA.  ALMOST ALL RESOURCES OF THE SECURITY 
FORCES ARE INVOLVED IN THE ANTI-LTTE EFFORT, WHICH 
INCLUDES NEAR-CONVENTIONAL WARFARE IN SOME PARTS OF 
THE COUNTRY AND CLASSIC COUNTERINSURGENCY FIGHTING IN 
OTHER AREAS.  SINCE THE RENEWAL OF FIGHTING AGAINST 
THE LTTE IN JUNE 1990, THE SECURITY FORCES HAVE MADE 
FREQUENT USE OF SPECIAL POLICE POWERS UNDER THE 
SO-CALLED EMERGENCY REGULATIONS (ER) AND THE 
PREVENTION OF TERRORISM ACT (PTA).  THESE MEASURES 
PERMIT UNLIMITED PREVENTIVE DETENTION AND SEVERELY 
RESTRICT NORMAL DUE PROCESS RIGHTS INCLUDING BAIL, 
NOTIFICATION OF RELATIVES, AND HABEAS CORPUS. 
(SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE REMAIN IN CUSTODY FOR 
SUSPECTED OFFENSES UNDER THE E.R. AND THE PTA.  THE 
TWO LAWS CAME INTO FORCE DURING THE JVP INSURGENCY OF 
THE LATE EIGHTIES.)  ALTHOUGH SRI LANKA HAS REFUSED 
INDIA'S REQUEST FOR THE EXTRADITION OF PRABAKHARAN, 
THE SRI LANKAN AUTHORITIES ROUTINELY APPROVE INDIAN 
GOVERNMENT REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE 
INVESTIGATION OF RAJIV GANDHI'S MURDER IN MAY 1991. 
 
GIVEN ITS OWN PROBLEMS WITH DOMESTIC TERRORISM, THE 
GSL HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY ACTIVE IN SUPPORTING 
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO ERADICATE TERRORISM  IN 
1987, SAARC MEMBERS SIGNED A CONVENTION ON THE 
SUPPRESSION OF TERRORISM; THIS CONVENTION WAS 
SPONSORED BY SRI LANKA.  THE GSL ALSO HAS LIVED UP TO 
ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE AGREEMENTS GOVERNING ICAO 
AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL OR TRAVEL SECURITY 
REQUIREMENTS. 
 
E) MAJOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN IN 
1992:  SEE ABOVE. 
 
F) SIGNIFICANT HOST GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM:  THE GSL RECOGNIZES THE PLO 
AND PERMITS THE GROUP TO MAINTAIN A SMALL MISSION IN 
COLOMBO. 
 
G) HOST-GOVERNMENT STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF A 
TERRORIST-SUPPORTING COUNTRY ON TERRORISM ISSUES: 
NONE. 
 
H) SIGNIFICANT CHANGE SINCE 1991:  NONE 
 
I) COMPLIANCE WITH UN RESOLUTIONS ON LIBYA:  THE GSL 
HAS ANNOUNCED THAT ALL UN MEMBERS HAVE AN OBLIGATION 
TO CARRY OUT EACH OF THE ORGANIZATION'S RESOLUTIONS 
ON LIBYA.  DESPITE THIS STATEMENT, THE GSL HAS 
DECLINED EITHER TO CLOSE THE LOCAL LIBYAN PEOPLE'S 
BUREAU OR TO ORDER A REDUCTION IN ITS SIZE. 
 
SCHAFFER