US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1075

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS 
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  06-18-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, SOCI, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  In visit to central region, some interlocutors 
anxious over peace track, but Buddhist monks are serene 
 
Refs:  Colombo 1061, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Joseph L. Novak, Charge d'Affaires. 
Reasons:  1.5 (b, d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  In a June 15-16 visit, Kandy, an 
important city in Sri Lanka's Sinhalese belt, was quiet 
and peaceful.  Many interlocutors, however, expressed 
anxiety about Tamil Tiger intentions.  Buddhist monks, 
an influential group, were more serene.  There was much 
comment -- in a favorable way -- on what was perceived 
as the USG's increased involvement in the peace track. 
Similar to most Sri Lankans, Kandyans clearly value the 
peace track, with no one wanting a return to war.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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Visit to Kandy 
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2.  (U) Poloff and Pol FSN visited Kandy on June 15-16. 
Kandy, the most important city in central Sri Lanka, 
appeared largely quiet and peaceful.  Markets were 
crowded, with commercial activity seemingly booming.  In 
what is Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist religious 
center and a major city for the majority Sinhalese 
ethnic group, Kandy's large population of saffron-clad 
Buddhist monks went about their business.  Adjacent to 
Sri Lanka's mountainous tea growing region, Kandy's 
climate was also less oppressive than Colombo's, due to 
its higher elevation and steep, foliage-covered, emerald 
green hills. 
 
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Anxiety about the Peace Track 
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3.  (C) The refreshing change of climate did not extend 
to the political scene, however, as local politicians, 
university professors, and think-tank scholars all 
expressed anxiety about the current state of the peace 
process.  In particular, interlocutors expressed deep 
concerns about the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam 
(LTTE) and its depth of commitment to the peace track. 
 
4.  (C) In a meeting with Opposition People's Alliance 
(PA) politicians, for example, senior PA MP Dr. Sarath 
Amunugama expressed deep worry about the fate of the 
peace process given the recent sinking of what he 
characterized as a LTTE "arms resupply" ship. 
(Note:  Amunugama also serves as chief PA spokesman. 
His reference was to the June 14 sinking of a LTTE ship 
which was intercepted by the Sri Lankan navy off the 
northeast coast.  Despite his claims, it has not been 
determined whether the ship was carrying arms-related 
items -- see Reftels.)  Amunugama went on to tell poloff 
that the Tigers' hard-line demand for immediate creation 
of an interim structure in the north/east was grating to 
many in the south, as was its failure to turn up for the 
recent Tokyo donors conference.  In making its demands, 
Amunugama said he thought the LTTE was mainly trying to 
mobilize support among Tamils in the north/east. 
 
5.  (C) The PA politicians were not alone in their 
criticism of the Tigers.  Open distrust of the group was 
also echoed by Kesara Senanayake, the mayor of Kandy, 
and Dr. K.M. de Silva, head of the independent 
International Center for Ethnic Studies (ICES). 
(Note:  Senanayake is a relative of two past prime 
ministers and is a member of the governing United 
National Party (UNP); de Silva, is a well-known 
historian with loose UNP connections.)  Professor de 
Silva said he thought that members of Sri Lanka's Tamil 
community outside of the LTTE-controlled areas in the 
north/east were very frustrated with the LTTE's failure 
to reform and become more pluralistic.  He added that 
many Tamils were also frightened about the wave of 
recent assassinations of Tamil opponents, which were 
almost certainly being perpetrated by the LTTE (see 
Reftels).  Senanayake, in ominous tones, claimed that 
the Tigers had operatives stationed in Kandy who were 
prepared to take action should the Tigers return to war. 
 
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Monks more Serene 
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6.  (C) Compared to the politicians and poloff's other 
interlocutors, Buddhist monks were considerably more 
serene about the peace process.  (Note:  Monks are a 
very influential group in Sri Lanka, which is almost 70 
percent Buddhist.  In addition to religious and societal 
affairs, monks often comment on political issues, too.) 
The deputy Mahanayakes (revered leaders) of the Buddhist 
Asgiriya and Malwatte sects (the two largest monastic 
groups in Sri Lanka) did not criticize the LTTE. 
Instead, Menikdiwela Sri Rathanasara Thero of the 
Malwatte sect and Niranjan D. Wijerathna, the Chief 
Custodian (highest lay person) of the Tooth Relic 
Temple, spent much time highlighting the positive 
results of the peace process.  Both made a point to show 
poloff the temple areas destroyed and rebuilt since the 
January 1998 bombing of the area by the LTTE. 
(Note:  Thirteen people were killed in the incident. 
The attack shocked the country as the temple is the most 
venerated site in Sri Lankan Buddhism.)  In doing so, 
however, they did not cast aspersions on Tamils or the 
LTTE, but stressed the futility of the war and of 
terrorism. 
 
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Perceived increase in USG Interest 
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7.  (C) In discussions with poloff, many interlocutors 
placed a spotlight on what they perceived as an increase 
in USG interest in Sri Lanka and the peace process.  In 
making this claim, the general view was that U.S. 
involvement was a positive thing, which should continue. 
Dr. P.O. Thattil, for example, a U.S.-educated 
researcher at the University of Peridiniya which is near 
Kandy, said he thought heightened U.S. support for the 
peace process was a positive development, which put 
pressure on the LTTE.  He wondered whether U.S. 
involvement came somewhat at the expense of Norway. 
(Note:  The Norwegian government has been serving as 
facilitator for the peace process for the past handful 
of years.)  PA spokesman Amunugama, who also thought 
that the U.S. was more involved in Sri Lanka than in the 
past, asked whether U.S.-India discussions included Sri 
Lanka and whether the U.S. would back the GSL should war 
return.  Mayor Senanayake joked that General Franks 
could deal with the Tigers in half a day if the Tigers 
abandoned the 18-month-old ceasefire. 
 
8.  (C) In response, poloff emphasized that the U.S. and 
the rest of the international community wanted to do all 
they could to assist Sri Lanka's peace process.  This 
had been made clear at the recent Tokyo donors 
conference.  From the very start of the war, however, 
the international community had recognized that it would 
be best for Sri Lanka and the region if the conflict was 
ended via a negotiated settlement.  That said, it was up 
to Sri Lankans to make peace happen, not outsiders. 
 
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COMMENT 
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9.  (C) Similar to most Sri Lankans, Kandyans of all 
sorts clearly value the peace process on a very deep 
level.  Even in light of the generally high degree of 
anxiety over Tiger intentions, no one that poloff spoke 
to wanted a return to war. 
10.  (C) The reaction of Buddhist monks, for example, 
was very interesting.  Despite their reputation as being 
zealots on the issue of Sinhalese Buddhist rights in Sri 
Lanka, the monks made clear that they wanted peace and 
supported the GSL's efforts.  In fact, they seemed to 
bend over backwards not to criticize the Tigers or the 
Tamil community in any way.  The import of this is that 
it is doubtful that Sinhalese chauvinists could ever 
lead an effort to unseat the peace track without support 
of the monks.  All that said, while the monks remain 
serene, there are clearly growing worries developing 
about the peace process in Sri Lanka's Sinhalese 
heartland.  END COMMENT. 
 
11.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
NOVAK