US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO868

UNCLAS COLOMBO 000868 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, PM, PM/HDP 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, EAID, PHUM, CE, Human Rights 
SUBJECT:  State Department-sponsored humanitarian 
demining effort making excellent progress in Jaffna 
 
Refs:  Colombo 436, and previous 
 
1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- 
Please handle accordingly. 
 
2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  The State Department-sponsored Quick 
Reaction Demining Force (QRDF) is making excellent 
progress in its humanitarian demining operations in 
Jaffna.  Cooperation with the GSL and the Tamil 
community is excellent, with the whole operation reaping 
the U.S. solid kudos.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3.  (SBU) Since its deployment in Jaffna in northern Sri 
Lanka in late March, the State Department-sponsored QRDF 
program has made excellent progress in its humanitarian 
demining operations in Jaffna.  Thus far, the team, 
which consists of U.S. contractors from RONCO and 
Mozambican deminers, has removed 106 mines and 74 pieces 
of unexploded ordnance (UXO).  Total square meters 
cleared as of mid-May is 10,326.  The majority of the 
mines cleared thus far have been of the anti-personnel 
type. (Note:  The site being demined, which is adjacent 
to the village of Sarasalai, east of Jaffna town, also 
has a high incidence of UXO.  The village is located on 
a former forward defensive line which saw significant 
shelling by both the military and the Tamil Tigers.) 
 
4.  (SBU) Cooperation from the GSL has been excellent. 
Don Smith, the team leader, told us that the QRDF has an 
excellent working relationship with Sri Lankan military 
forces working in the area.  The Sri Lanka Army (SLA), 
for example, is currently providing certain supplies to 
the QRDF, as well as the use of emergency medical 
facilities as needed.  (Note:  FYI:  The SLA is 
currently demining three sites in Jaffna.  In general, 
the military's demining is not up to international 
humanitarian standards, which is also the case with 
Tamil Tiger demining.) 
 
5.  (SBU) Cooperation with the Tamil community is 
excellent.  Tamils reportedly welcome the efforts of the 
QRDF, with civilians coming forward on a daily basis to 
request assistance in demining their lands or providing 
the QRDF pieces of UXO to dispose of.  Tamil politicians 
have also told Mission how appreciative they are of the 
QRDF's efforts. 
 
6.  (SBU) COMMENT:  As with its predecessor program in 
Jaffna, the current QRDF operation continues to help the 
U.S. in its relations with the GSL and the Tamil 
community.  (Note:  A previous QRDF was also in place in 
Jaffna last year.)  Moreover, the QRDF's efforts 
reinforce our support for the peace process, which is 
going through a rocky period at this time.  U.S. 
assistance in the north also tends to undermine the 
Tigers' consistent refrain that no international 
assistance is getting through to Tamils.  There is 
little doubt that there is a problem with GSL assistance 
dissemination, but some international projects (like 
QRDF) are up-and-running.  END COMMENT. 
 
7.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
WILLS