US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO658

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000658 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT; NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  04-16-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PHUM, CE, JA, NO, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  In visit to eastern Sri Lanka, contacts complain 
about increased political influence of the Tamil Tigers 
 
Refs:  Colombo 643, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Lewis Amselem, Deputy Chief of Mission. 
Reasons:  1.5 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  Poloff and Pol FSN visited Trincomalee, 
the major port city in eastern Sri Lanka, on April 12. 
Interlocutors expressed admiration for the government's 
efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement to the conflict, 
but expressed deep concerns about the Tamil Tigers' 
commitment to the process.  The political influence of the 
Tigers in the east is reportedly increasing due to their 
use of mafia-like threats and harassment.  The Tigers were 
also accused of continued forced recruitment of children. 
Despite all the concerns, easterners expressed strong 
support for the peace process.  END SUMMARY 
 
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Reactions to the Peace Process 
============================== 
 
2. (U) Poloff and Pol FSN visited Trincomalee, the major 
port city in eastern Sri Lanka, on April 12.  Ahead of the 
Sinhalese/Tamil New Year, the sun-drenched, palm-fringed 
city was bustling with activity.  Compared with years past, 
when the city and region were the site of much violence, 
the setting -- thanks to Sri Lanka's 15-month old peace 
process -- seemed remarkably cheerful, almost festive. 
 
3.  (C) In line with these atmospherics, Mission contacts 
in "Trinco," as it is known, were generally positive about 
the peace process.  A wide range of interlocutors 
invariably expressed admiration for the government's 
efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement to the conflict. 
Father George Dissanayake, a Catholic priest who is a human 
rights activist, seemed to summarize hopes when he 
commented that "Ranil (Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe) 
will not let us down." 
 
4.  (C) While the GSL earned kudos for its efforts, there 
was little confidence in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil 
Eelam (LTTE).  Tamils contacts asserted that the Tigers 
continued to extort funds and violate human rights (see 
below), activities which undermined the view that the group 
was on its way toward becoming a peaceful political 
organization.  In addition, the Sinhalese community, 
especially the Buddhist clergy, expressed doubts about the 
LTTE's commitment to the peace process, noting that the 
group had taken no steps to disarm or demobililize its 
forces.  (Note:  Trincomalee District is an ethnic mosaic, 
with Muslims, Sinhalese, and Tamils represented in roughly 
equal numbers.) 
 
5.  (C) Reflecting on these concerns about the LTTE and the 
peace process, the local Deputy Chief of the Norwegian-run 
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Abdel Burkan commented 
that he thought that the uneasiness was a function of 
natural anxiety following 20 years of war and 14 months of 
"not-quite peace."  SLMM Head of District Jan Ledang told 
poloff that the situation would remain tense and unsettled 
until there was a final outcome in the negotiations. 
 
===================================== 
LTTE:  Increasing Political Influence 
===================================== 
 
6. (C) Interlocutors told Poloff in no uncertain terms that 
the LTTE was increasingly exerting a high degree of 
influence in Trincomalee District.  Much of the influence 
was described as being the direct result of harassment and 
threats.  The LTTE was accused of continuing to "tax" 
citizens in Trincomalee, for example.  (Note:  According to 
observers, the usual LTTE "assessment" is a few hundred 
rupees, approximately 1-2 USD, and the taxes are generally 
leveled at low-to mid-level tradesmen and teachers.) 
Poloff was told of the example of a local bus owner, who 
was stopped every day for a month by the LTTE for a tribute 
of Rs. 100 (approximately one USD).  Contacts did note that 
the LTTE, in general (and unlike its behavior in the past), 
refrained from physically harming perceived opponents. 
(Note:  Per Reftels, however, there have been some recent 
reports of instances where the LTTE has reportedly been 
involved in killing opponents, including government 
informants.) 
 
7. (C) Contacts traced the rise in the LTTE's political 
influence in Trincomalee, in part, to the freedom of 
movement the LTTE enjoys as a function of the February 2002 
ceasefire accord.  The Tigers are reportedly using that 
freedom of movement to harass people and also mobilize 
support.  One contact related that the LTTE had recently 
opened an office in downtown Trincomalee and were using the 
office to organize regular meetings and rallies.  These 
rallies often took on a semi-threatening tone.  In 
reviewing these means of influence, contacts commented that 
there was no incentive for LTTE to transform into a 
"normal" political entity -- if the group did; their main 
sources of revenue (taxation and extortion) and influence 
(harassment and threats) would dry up. 
 
================================== 
Forced Child Recruitment Continues 
================================== 
 
8. (C) Local religious leaders and the representatives of 
other organizations such as UNICEF, UNHCR, and the SLMM 
told poloff that forced child recruitment continues in 
Trincomalee district. In fact, according to most observers, 
child conscription has, if anything, increased in the past 
year.  Observers were vague on the exact numbers of child 
conscriptees, however.  In their conscription efforts, the 
Tigers are apparently using a mix of coercion and also 
Tamil nationalist propaganda to lure parents to give their 
children over to the LTTE.  Contacts also remarked that 
Tiger recruitment of adults also continues on an increased 
scale. 
 
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COMMENT 
======= 
 
9. (C) When compared with previous visits to Trincomalee, 
the level of concern emanating from all communities 
regarding the LTTE seems, if anything, to have spiked up. 
In a coordinated effort, the group appears to be using the 
ceasefire to spread its tentacles in almost a mafia-like 
fashion.  That said, despite all the concerns focused on 
the Tigers, easterners expressed strong support for the 
peace process.  As with most Sri Lankans, people in 
Trincomalee want the peace process to work and they seem 
patient.  This is good news for the government, but is 
ultimately a wasting asset if the LTTE does not improve its 
behavior.  END COMMENT. 
 
10. (U) Minimize considered. 
 
WILLS