US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO682

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000682 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR D, INR/R/MR, I/RW, I/REC; PA 
SA/INS(FOR JWALLER); SA/PD (FOR LJIRWIN, LSCENSNY, 
WREINCKENS); SSA/PAB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA PLAY - 4/14 WASHINGTON CONFERENCE - 
PART II (4/18-4/21) 
 
 
1. On April 14 Deputy Secretary Armitage hosted an 
international conference on Sri Lanka for representatives 
of 21 countries and 16 international organizations who 
gathered to discuss Sri Lanka's peace negotiations, and 
international assistance for the Island's development and 
reconstruction.  Last week's Sri Lankan press coverage was 
plentiful.  From 4/18 to 4/21 headlines slackened, but 
post-holiday Sinhala weekender editorial coverage was 
supportive. Three Sinhala papers editorialized, one 
optimistic about the Washington Conference, two endorsing 
Armitage's statements regarding the need for the LTTE to 
change.  Major independent and opposition English Sunday 
papers ran opinion pieces echoing similar themes. 
 
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Newspapers. 
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2.  The week's earlier splashy headlines slowed, but 
government owned Sinhala weekly Sunday SILUMINA weighed in 
on its front page with "Richard Armitage's statement 
commended."  Article excerpts: 
 "Many organizations have commended RA's statement which 
said that LTTE should renounce terrorism if they want 
peace...." 
 
"Chief Incumbent of Los Angeles Vihara Ven. Dr. 
Dhammalankaara also said that LTTE should make use of this 
opportunity..." 
 
"The Deputy State Sec. has said that LTTE is not happy 
about their not being invited to Washington....US stance is 
clear...." 
 
----- 
Editorials. 
----- 
 
3. Under the headline "Let's make the most of the New Year 
gift" the independent Sinhala SUNDAY LANKADEEPA stressed 
the need to act promptly yet cautiously with the 
international community in regards to peace and 
reconstruction of the war-torn country.   Excerpts: 
 
"Unlike in other donor conferences, there have been no 
critics.  Sri Lanka has never before been offered such a 
gigantic sum.  Hats off to Minister Milinda Moragoda for 
convincing the decision makers of twenty-five richest 
countries and organizations in the world. " 
 
"Why did they agree?  They scrutinized the peace process 
and contemplated the well-being of the disadvantaged 
communities in Sri Lanka." 
 
"All ethnicities in the country suffered with terrorism and 
wrong economic and social policies." 
 
"There have been external and internal factors toward 
negative economic growth. For the country to recover we 
need help of the international community.  But that alone 
is not adequate." 
 
"We have a lot of displaced people wasting time in refugee 
camps.  These people could be very productive and are an 
important part of the country's labor force.  Hence they 
should be appropriately deployed.  Resettlement is 
essential with appropriate infrastructure.  Here comes 
another important constraint - landmines.  Without de- 
mining, resettlement and rehabilitation is impossible." 
 
"It's a Herculean task.  That's why we need foreign 
assistance.  In Sri Lanka's development, the South is as 
important as the North, so are the Tiger border villages. 
Some say economic and social development should wait until 
total peace is achieved - they don't trust LTTE.  They 
think democracy should be brought in the North.  But that 
can that be done with one stroke of the pen?" 
 
"We need to act fast." 
 
4. Under the headline "Armitage's speech on Tigers" the 
independent Sinhala weekly LAKBIMA focused on the US's 
continued ban on the LTTE.  It also noted that while it 
disagreed with the US on the Iraq issue, "our anti-American 
stance would by no means prevent us from endorsing American 
opinion on the Tigers."  Excerpts: 
 
"Although Washington aid has been allocated to 
rehabilitate North and East, Tigers were not invited to 
Washington conference. That was despite their 
strong expression of the need to attend same.  They were so 
strong in their request said that they would not even 
attend the Tokyo peace talks if they weren't invited to 
Washington. But Washington did not care..." 
 
"Why-LTTE had been listed as a terrorist organization in 
USA. If they would let the organization attend a high 
profile conference officially they would be overlooking 
that ban." 
"That is the very reason why Tigers badly wanted to attend 
the Washington conference. And that is why US was careful 
enough not to let them in." 
 
"In his speech, RA said that any good reason was not 
seen why they would lift the Tiger ban. He also said that 
until the Tigers would show in word and deed their wish to 
renounce terrorism that they would not do so." 
 
"If his statement was not clear to anyone - well he said 
that they have still not renounced terrorism...." 
 
"The fact that the foreign policy of US has been largely 
confusing to us in third world countries. " 
 
"We thoroughly criticised US in the Iraq issue. Even after 
Iraq had collapsed, we remain in the same stance. That is 
because we do not believe in intervening in the sovereignty 
of an individual country. Our anti American stance then, 
would by no means prevent us from endorsing American 
opinion on the Tigers." 
 
"Information we receive is valid evidence as to LTTE is a 
terrorist organisation and still they have not renounced 
terrorism. Our news updates have been proving that. " 
 
"We should not forget that LTTE has entered truce and have 
been maintaining that for so long. But we should not be 
too quick to take the pet Tigers on to our lap to fondle." 
 
5. Under the headline "Can't LTTE change?" the independent 
Sinhala SUNDAY DIVAINA supported Armitage's view of the 
LTTE as a terrorist organization, and the need for it to 
change "by word and deed."  It also pointed out that a 
person of Armitage's status said what "no one" in Sri Lanka 
will say, lest they be labeled anti-peace.   Excerpts: 
 
"We fully endorse the analysis of R Armitage... it is 
extremely fair and right. It says.... America is watchful 
on LTTE activities...should renounce terrorism....America 
looks forward to seeing LTTE acting as a genuine political 
party....But LTTE has not changed" 
 
"This US statement have disappointed tigers and their hero- 
worshippers like SLMM and certain NGOs... Its only Richard 
Armitage of America but no small fry could make such a 
statement....if somebody else made this statement he would 
be labeled as an anti peace person... no one would dare to 
say that RA spoke as per tips of the extremists in the 
South...and moreover, RA is not naive" 
 
"Our stance is same..MOU has had serious 
violations...killings, arms smuggling, abductions...height 
of terrorism" 
 
"RA is quite right...Do tiger leaders ever want a change? 
However, US is still quite cool about LTTE 
leader...Although Bush sees Saddam Hussein as a terrorist, 
he does not regard Prabhakaran as one...It's Prabha's luck 
and our bad luck." 
 
"It is important that the US attitude about tigers should 
be similar to our leaders view on tigers...Does LTTE want 
to be changed? What is AB's or VP's reply to that? It 
should be by word and deed" 
 
Wills