US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1262

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001262 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  07-18-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PHUM, PINS, CE, NO, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  Tigers still refusing request from monitors to 
vacate forward base; Another military informant killed 
 
Refs:  (A) FBIS Reston Va DTG 170326Z Jul 03 
 
-      (B) FBIS Reston Va DTG 150248Z Jul 03 
-      (C) Colombo 1256, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Charge d'Affaires. 
Reasons 1.5 (b, d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission 
(SLMM) has not yet been able to convince the Tamil 
Tigers to vacate a base the group has established in the 
east.  The Tigers say the base is within their zone and 
not in a GSL-demarcated area.  In other peace process 
developments, another military informant was killed late 
July 17.  The Tigers are almost certainly to blame.  The 
controversy over the base is causing strains in the 
SLMM's relationship with the Tigers.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) CONTROVERSY OVER TIGER BASE:  The Norwegian-run 
SLMM is becoming increasingly concerned over the 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organization's 
refusal to vacate a forward base the group has 
established in the east.  The base, which is variously 
referred to as the "Wan Ela" or "Manrasakulam" camp, is 
near Kinniya, a town located roughly 15 kilometers to 
the southwest of Trincomalee city.  It is not clear when 
the LTTE established the base, but the group apparently 
did so in the past year.  The LTTE has reportedly taken 
steps to enlarge the base in recent weeks.  The base is 
believed to contain several bunkers which are possibly 
filled with arms and ammunition. 
 
3.  (C) Reacting to complaints from the GSL and local 
Muslims, the SLMM began to investigate the LTTE's 
establishment of the base several weeks ago.  (Note: 
Kinniya has a large population of Muslims.  Muslims, in 
general, are very worried about any indications of 
increased Tiger influence in the east -- see Ref C.) 
According to Hagrup Haukland, the Deputy Chief of the 
SLMM, the basic rule the monitors are using in examining 
the dispute comes from the February 2002 ceasefire 
agreement.  Haukland said the agreement makes clear that 
the military forces of the LTTE and the government 
cannot expand their zones of control during the 
ceasefire.  After examining records and completing a 
site survey of the base on July 16, the SLMM ruled that 
the Tigers' base was built after the ceasefire agreement 
came into force and that it encroaches on government- 
controlled territory. 
 
4.  (C) For their part, the Tigers have vociferously 
denied that the base is in a government-controlled area. 
In recent meetings with SLMM officials, including Chief 
Tryggve Tellefsen, the LTTE's political chief S.P. 
Thamilchelvam has underscored that the Tigers have no 
plans to vacate the area.  Exasperated by the Tigers' 
hard-line stance, Haukland has given several interviews 
to the press in which he has lashed out at the LTTE, 
asserting that the group must vacate the site as soon as 
possible (see Refs A-B).  Among other concerns, Haukland 
has also complained that the LTTE is not allowing the 
monitors access to sites in all the areas it controls. 
In recent conversations with polchief Haukland asserted 
that the monitors' relationship with the Tigers is not 
approaching the breakdown stage despite his harsh 
comments.  When asked about next steps, Haukland said 
the SLMM would continue to try to convince the Tigers to 
withdraw from the area through private and public 
communications.  (Note:  The SLMM's Tellefsen briefed 
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe about the dispute in a 
July 17 meeting.) 
 
5.  (C) ANOTHER INFORMANT SLAIN:  In other peace process 
developments, another military informant was killed late 
July 17.  The informant, a Muslim named Abdul Baheer 
Fowzie, 38, was gunned down by two men at a site north 
of Trincomalee city.  The slaying of Fowzie appears to 
be part of the spate of killings of military informants 
and Tamil Tiger opponents that has gained pace in recent 
months (see Ref C).  The Tigers have not taken 
responsibility for any of the killings, including that 
of Fowzie.  Given the seemingly organized nature of the 
killings and the victims' occupations and/or political 
leanings, there is little doubt that the Tigers are 
responsible, however. 
6.  (C) COMMENT:  The controversy over the base near 
Kinniya is sparking strains in the SLMM's relationship 
with the Tigers.  In their public comments, there is 
little doubt that the monitors are getting increasingly 
exasperated with the Tigers.  The SLMM essentially feels 
that the LTTE is not living up to its part of the 
ceasefire agreement bargain by acceding to the monitors' 
rulings.  The SLMM has made the Tiger leadership aware 
of its concerns, and it is now up to Thamilchelvam and 
others to react in a constructive manner.  If the Tigers 
do not play ball, the SLMM's mandate will become 
increasingly difficult to fulfill.  END COMMENT. 
 
ENTWISTLE