US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO730

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000730 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O.  12958:  DECL:  04/28/13 
TAGS: CE, MV, AGMT, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 66  (04-29-03) 
 
 
Classified by E. Ashley Wills, Reasons 1.5 (b, d) 
 
CONTENTS: PRIME MINISTER'S RESPONSE TO TIGERS 
-         COMMISSION APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE KILLINGS 
-         FOLLOW-UP RE INCIDENTS IN EAST 
-         DINNER WITH KEY MINISTER 
-         MORAGODA'S IDEA RE MODERATE GROUPING 
 
PRIME MINISTER'S RESPONSE TO TIGERS 
=================================== 
1.  (SBU) We understand that the government is in the 
process of issuing its formal response to the Tigers' 
April 21 statement announcing their suspension of the 
peace talks.  We'll analyze it once we see it.  (POL) 
 
2.  (C) In other peace process news, the Ministry of 
Defense has announced that it will move military and 
police establishments located in the present "high- 
security zone" within Jaffna city to Jaffna Fort.  (Note: 
The fort, which is hundreds of years old, is located just 
to the west of the city in a sparsely populated area.) 
The announcement said that the move would be completed 
soon.  We also understand that the SLMM (Sri Lanka 
Monitoring Mission) continues to work with the government 
and the LTTE on sea movements by the Sea Tigers, a topic 
(fatefully) not dealt with in the February 2002 ceasefire 
accord.  As we have mentioned before, this whole subject 
is proving quite controversial with the Opposition in the 
south.  (POL) 
 
COMMISSION APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE KILLINGS 
============================================ 
3.  (SBU) FYI.  Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has 
appointed a three-member committee to probe the recent 
spate of killings of Tamil army informants allegedly by 
the LTTE.  The committee is expected to prepare a report 
on the killings within a week.  The formation of the 
committee was sparked by the latest killing, which took 
place in greater Colombo on April 26.  (POL) 
 
FOLLOW-UP RE INCIDENTS IN EAST 
============================== 
4. (SBU) In yesterday's o/i, we mentioned two violent 
incidents that took place in the eastern town of Arugam 
Bay, Ampara District, in the past couple of weeks.  In 
one of the incidents, three tourists were injured (two 
Germans, one Israeli). We still don't have complete 
information on exactly what occurred and who is to blame. 
As we noted, there are contradictory reports that the 
attacks were somehow "business-related" -- or perhaps 
linked to Muslim extremists.  We'll report more once we 
dig out more concrete info.  (POL/RSO) 
 
DINNER WITH KEY MINISTER 
======================== 
5. (C) FYI. Please also pass to INR/NESA:  Ambassador 
Wills dined with Minister of Power and Energy Karu 
Jayasuriya last night, April 28.  Jayasuriya, who is the 
deputy leader of the UNP, said he had no plans to join 
the Opposition (contrary to a report we had recently 
picked up from former FM Kadirgamar).  In fact, 
Jayasuriya underscored his total allegiance to the PM and 
said he thought the UNP government was quite strong. 
(Note: If Jayasuriya ever did bolt, it would be a 
crushing blow to the UNP.  Jayasuriya is very important 
for the UNP due to his ability to get out the Sinhalese 
Buddhist vote for the party.  He is also from Gampaha 
District, a populous area northeast of Colombo, and has 
played a key role in challenging the president and her 
family in their home base there.)  During the course of 
the dinner, the minister and his wife also revealed 
themselves to be fervent devotees of Indian mystic Sai 
Baba.  They further went on to say that they see visions 
and have premonitions.  (Note:  All the visions and 
premonitions may have something to do with the fact that 
the power in the Power Minister's house went out twice 
through the course of the evening!)  (POL) 
 
MORAGODA'S IDEA RE MODERATE GROUPING: 
===================================== 
6.  (C) Based on the telephone conversation between DAS 
Camp and the Ambassador today, we will await further 
instructions on how to proceed re Minister Moragoda's 
idea that moderate states form some sort of counter to 
NAM.  Please see our April 21 o-i (Colombo 685) on this 
very issue.  (POL) 
 
WILLS