US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1008

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001008 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Department for D (Gastright), INR/MR, I/RW, I/REC, 
SA (CAPM, WALLER), SA/PD (BRENNIG, IRWIN, SCENSNY), 
SSA/PAS; SSO (PASS TO D);  TOKYO (Hara, Bryan) 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, OPRC, KMDR, OIIP, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA PLAY: (JUNE 10) Tokyo Conference: Colombo 
 
1. Summary.  Tamil newspapers reserved pride of place for 
optimistic headlines about an interim administration and the 
future of the peace talks.  Donor money and international 
support of the peace process were also well-represented 
subjects.  English and vernacular government-owned and 
independent media echoed these themes.  Even the opposition 
newspapers were unusually sunny, Editorials were 
apprehensive about how donor money will be spent and 
cautioned, "..peace will be secured only in democracy."  End 
summary. 
 
----- 
2. LTTE statements and other Tamil reaction. 
----- 
Tamil newspapers reserved pride of place for optimistic 
headlines about an interim administration and the future of 
the peace talks.  All major dailies relayed Prime Minister 
Ranil Wickremesinghe's remarks in their lead stories. 
Independent daily VIRAKESARI quoted, "Development work in 
the north through provisional administrative structure - 
participation of the Tigers assured," while state-owned 
daily THINAKARAN added, ".will amend the constitution once 
[they] reach a solution."  Independent daily THINAKKURAL 
enthused, "Next stage of peace efforts started." 
 
As always, Tamil media was detail-oriented - in this case - 
about the money.  Pro-LTTE SUDAR OLI wrote, "Expected USD 3 
billion, received USD 4 billion at the Tokyo Conference - 
Period extended from three to four years."  Independent 
daily VIRAKESARI sealed the deal,  "Japanese Representatives 
will visit Kilinochchi next week and inform Tigers 
officially about the aid received." 
 
Surprisingly, pro-LTTE SUDAR OLI quoted Minister of Muslim 
Religious Affairs Rauf Hakeem,  "Tokyo Conference a victory 
to Muslims," state-owned THINAKARAN quoted him as well, "All 
communities benefit by development through peace." 
 
International support of the peace process was well 
represented in the Tamil dailies.  Independent daily 
VIRAKESARI quoted Deputy Secretary Armitage, "President 
should inform the international community about her support 
towards peace efforts.  Independent daily THINAKKURAL did 
the same, "The US is ready to point out the duties of the 
Tigers to obtain official recognition - Break of talks, 
unimaginable," and quotes the conference host, "Japan 
requests LTTE to return to peace talks ASAP." 
 
Under the headline, "Armitage addresses Sri Lanka donors' 
conference, pro-LTTE TamilNet ran a transcript of the Deputy 
Secretary's opening remarks in Tokyo.  The introductory 
 
SIPDIS 
quote is below. 
 
Block  quote. 
 
Noting that the momentum of the Sri Lanka peace process is 
slowing, US Deputy Secretary of State Armitage said the 
international community needs to provide an infusion of 
moral and material support to move the parties and the 
process forward when he addressed the Sri Lanka donors' 
conference in Japan, Monday. But, he said, "no matter how 
much we pledge at this conference, it is ultimately the 
prime minister, the president of Sri Lanka, members of the 
LTTE, and most importantly of all the people of Sri Lanka, 
who will have to deliver on the promise of peace." 
 
End block quote. 
 
Tamil editorialists did not address Tokyo directly.  Marking 
World Environment Day, the pro-LTTE SUDAR OLI editorial page 
headlined, "With reconstruction, a better environment is 
also necessary," and commented,  "The aid given by the 
international community is required only for the 
reconstruction and rehabilitation work. The protection of 
environment is in the hands of all people. If the 
environment is polluted there's no prosperity."  Independent 
daily THINAKKURAL's editorial, "Japanese Prime Minister's 
concern," chronicled his comments, and summarized, "The 
international community is anxiously awaiting the dawn of 
peace, ending the conflict in Sri Lanka. The peace 
negotiations, started by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, 
are being carried forward by the Prime Minister with the 
support of the people.  The day peace will dawn, fulfilling 
the expectation of people and the international community, 
is not far away.  The peace efforts in Sri Lanka should end 
up victorious and be model to the whole world." 
 
----- 
3. GSL statements and pro-government reaction. 
----- 
State-owned television and radio stations' English and 
vernacular coverage of the Tokyo Conference was heavy, and 
included stories about unexpectedly large donor pledges and 
the participation of more than 50 countries and 20 financial 
institutions.  International requests for the LTTE to return 
to the negotiating table also figured prominently, 
particularly Deputy Secretary Armitage's remarks to the 
Conference. 
State-owned newspapers focused on donor money and 
international exhortations for the LTTE to return to the 
peace talks.   State-owned Sinhala daily DINAMINA 
"Assistance pledged for PM's programs on Reawakening Sri 
Lanka and peace; (Rs) Kouti 40000 [US $4 billion] for Sri 
Lanka - Highest financial assistance so far."  State-owned 
English DAILY NEWS reported, "Prove commitment to negotiated 
settlement, Armitage tells LTTE," and "LTTE should return to 
talks - Japanese PM." 
 
Concern about the domestic front also surfaced in government- 
sympathetic headlines.  State-owned English DAILY NEWS 
reassured, "Govt. will continue efforts to bring lasting 
peace - PM," while state-owned Sinhala daily DINAMINA 
observed, "People in the north blame the LTTE for not going 
to the Japan confab." 
ED: Approaches to development dominated the editorial pages 
of the state-owned English daily.  The state-owned Sinhala 
daily editorialized about the threat to peace killings in 
the north pose. 
--- Under the headline, "The challenges ahead," state-owned 
English DAILY NEWS comments, that a ""bottom-up" approach" 
to development, "would enable a fuller fleshing out of 
development plans and ensure a more sensitive response from 
the State to the people's needs." 
Block quotes. 
However, the process of economic rejuvenation is not going 
to prove easy, and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was frank 
enough to recognize this reality. 
It was also recognized that although development needed to 
be put on a fast track, our public service was too large, 
poorly paid and lacks the capacity to handle the increased 
rates of project design and implementation. 
We believe we are blessed with sufficient local expertise 
for these major projects, although their capacity for 
handling these challenges may need to be upgraded and 
enhanced. This, the State may need to concern itself with 
rightaway. A skills and capacity upgrading program for these 
exercises we consider an essential requirement. 
Besides, there needs to be closer interaction between the 
grass roots masses, their organisations and the State and 
its agencies for a comprehensive push towards development. 
It is widely felt that the approach which is dominating on 
the development front right now, is a "top-down" one which 
could lose sight of the real needs of the people. 
On the other hand, a "bottom-up" approach would enable a 
fuller fleshing out of development plans and ensure a more 
sensitive response from the State to the people's needs. 
End block quotes. 
--- In a rare business page editorial, "Using Tokyo funds 
prudently," state-owned DAILY NEWS commented, "The 
government's implementing agencies should work closely with 
business chambers and key players in the private sector in 
formulating development plans that use the Tokyo funds. 
Their input will be valuable in identifying and designing 
projects that could propel Sri Lanka ahead of its regional 
competitors." 
----Under the headline,"` Killings in the north- a threat to 
peace," state-owned Sinhala daily DINAMINA commented, "There 
have been so many violations of the MOU in the past period. 
America and other countries sternly advised the LTTE quite a 
few times to renounce terrorism. Whether in or outside 
Tokyo, the LTTE will have to face allegations on human 
rights violations.  They have to accept the basic principles 
of democracy.  We condemn these ruthless killings and wish 
to state that peace will be secured only in democracy." 
 
---- 
4. Opposition statements and pro-opposition reaction. 
----- 
Opposition newspapers offered many of the same stories as 
the Tamil and state-owned press.  The independent, but 
nationalist-leaning, ISLAND and Sinhala sister paper DIVAINA 
were unusually conciliatory in their coverage of an interim 
administration.  DIVAINA wrote, "LTTE and the GSL are not 
poles apart in their views on an interim administration, 
while the ISLAND quoted Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, "To 
facilitate normalcy in civil life north and east should be 
given an interim administration." 
Under the headline, "LTTE, JVP and democracy,"  independent, 
but nationalist-leaning, English daily ISLAND criticized the 
international community for legitimizing Prabakaran's 
leadership of the LTTE,  and "is acting in a manner which is 
suggestive that it has accepted the terror outfit as the 
sole representative of the Tamils." 
Block quotes. 
Today the JVP has, no doubt, realised that democracy is much 
more rewarding than terror: It has won 16 seats in 
Parliament and a large number seats in provincial councils 
and local government bodies. Lo and behold! It is 
campaigning against terrorism today. 
Why the JVP was not amenable to a negotiated settlement 
during its heyday of terror was its intransigence, which 
stemmed from the obduracy of its leadership. Hadn't the JVP 
leadership come to perish, the situation would have been 
different today. 
Likewise so long as Prabhakaran remains the `supreme leader' 
the LTTE's intransigence which is blocking the path to 
negotiations let alone peace will be insurmountable. 
It is strange that the international community, which is 
pontificating on the virtues of tolerance of dissent, 
internal democracy and a host of other democratic principles 
and has given full cry to regime change in 'rogue states' 
has taken for granted the LTTE leadership and its ruthless 
suppression of democracy and is acting in a manner which is 
suggestive that it has accepted the terror outfit as the 
sole representative of the Tamils. 
Hypocrisy of the so-called international community 
notwithstanding, the irony is that when the `doves' try to 
counter the JVP campaign against the peace process by asking 
them if they could enter democratic politics despite an ugly 
past why can't the LTTE do so, they unwittingly support the 
cry of the anti-terror activists for countering LTTE 
terrorism in the same manner as that of the JVP. 
End block quotes. 
 
----- 
5. Independent media reaction 
----- 
 Independent television and radio stories about Tokyo 
focused on donor money and international support of the 
peace process.  Independent newspapers followed suit. 
Independent English DAILY MIRROR headlined, "'I will never 
give up on peace': PM - Expresses appreciation of 
significant role by President," and reported, "US strongly 
urges LTTE to return to talks."  Independent Sinhala daily 
LANKADEEPA observed, "`Promised funds will come only 
according to the progress of peace talks'-says Japan PM and 
asks LTTE to come to negotiations."  The DAILY MIRROR's 
business page headlined, "ADB points to effective, quick aid 
utilization - Flood of donor support for peace and growth at 
Tokyo boosts Sri Lanka's profile internationally." 
 
AMSELEM