US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO992

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000992 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
OFFICIAL INFORMAL 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O.  12958:  DECL: 06-09-13 
TAGS: CE, MV, AGMT, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 87  (06-09-03) 
 
Classified by CDA Lewis Amselem, Reasons 1.5 (b,d) 
 
CONTENTS:  LATEST RE TOKYO 
 
LATEST RE TOKYO 
--------------- 
(C) Sri Lanka is relatively quiet today (June 9), with 
precious little reaction just yet to the goings on at the 
Tokyo donors conference.  We expect that reaction will 
begin to flow in soon, as the speeches given and pledges 
made at Tokyo net wider press play here.  (Note:  Re local 
press reaction to events thus far, please see our media 
reaction cables.)  In the meantime, we just wanted to flag 
the following peace process-related issues: 
 
-- Chief Tiger Negotiator Anton Balasingham was quoted on 
the pro-LTTE website "TamilNet" on June 6 as saying that 
discussions re an interim structure in the north/east 
could only proceed on the basis of "specific and 
concrete" proposals from the GSL because "mere intent" 
was not enough.  Balasingham's comments were clearly 
foreshadowing Prime Minister Wickremesinghe's June 9 
remarks at Tokyo in which he promised to discuss forming 
an interim structure with "significant" Tiger control. 
(Note:  FYI.  The Ops Center called about all the wire 
service stories highlighting the PM's June 9 comments re 
an interim structure as some sort of dramatic development 
that would change the situation here ipso facto.  We 
provided the Ops Center the context, stressing that the PM 
was indeed reaching out to the Tigers.  We noted, however, 
that the key point was how the Tigers reacted to the offer 
from this point forward and that based on Balasingham's 
June 6 comments it was not clear whether a positive 
response from the group was in the offing soon.  Our 
comments to the Ops Center were cc'ed to SA/INS.) 
 
-- According to press reports, a Buddhist religious 
ceremony held in Tokyo June 8 in honor of the PM's visit 
was marred by three young Sri Lankans creating a 
commotion.  (Note:  It was not precisely clear whether the 
PM was in attendance when this incident occurred.)  The 
three suspects, described as "staying illegally" in 
Japan, had alleged links to the radical Janantha Vimukthi 
Peramuna (JVP).  The youths reportedly criticized the 
peace process loudly and accused the temple leader of 
taking one million rupees (approximately USD 10,000) from 
the GSL.  The three men then reportedly tried to assault 
some monks present at the ceremony.  The three are 
reported to be currently enjoying the hospitality of a 
Japanese jail, which probably does not involve a lot of 
sushi and sake. 
 
-- Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is reportedly to 
receive TIME Magazine's "Asian Hero" award on June 11 at 
a ceremony in Japan.  In a press statement, TIME said the 
PM was selected for "standing up to his President" in 
regard to the peace process with the Tamil Tigers.  TIME 
went on to state that its "Asian Heroes" exemplified 
"extraordinary courage, charisma and genius" that 
enabled winners to make a "big difference" in their 
societies or fields.  (Note:  By the way, in addition to 
Wickremesinghe, we understand that over 10 other well- 
known Asians are receiving a similar award from TIME this 
year.) 
 
-- And, in the back-at-home department, two people were 
killed over the weekend in the eastern part of the 
country.  In the first incident, which took place in 
Batticaloa on June 6, a former member of the anti-LTTE 
EPDP party and his 15-month old daughter were killed when 
a grenade exploded.  In a second incident, unidentified 
gunmen shot and killed an EPDP member on June 7 in 
Trincomalee.  As with many such killings in past weeks 
(see Colombo 735, for example), the Tigers seem to be the 
culprits, though no one was caught and the group has not 
taken credit.  (POL) 
 
 
AMSELEM