US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1295

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001295 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, PM, PM/HDP 
 
E.O. 12958:   N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, EAID, PREF, CE, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT:  State Department-sponsored team completes 
Jaffna demining program, earning rave reviews 
 
Refs:  (A) PM/HDP-Colombo 7/24/03 unclass email 
-      (B) Colombo 868, and previous 
 
1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- 
Please handle accordingly. 
 
2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  A State Department-sponsored Quick 
Reaction Demining Force (QRDF) is preparing to leave 
Sri Lanka after completing its program in war-torn 
Jaffna.  U.S. involvement in sustained humanitarian 
demining in Sri Lanka continues to earn rave reviews. 
Mission looks forward to implementation of a follow-on 
USG-sponsored demining program slated to kick off in 
August.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3.  (SBU) MISSION COMPLETED:  A State Department- 
sponsored QRDF team is preparing to leave Sri Lanka 
after completing its four-month program in war-torn 
Jaffna.  (Note:  This is the second QRDF team that has 
been deployed to Sri Lanka.  The first team worked in 
Jaffna from April-October 2002.)  Since its deployment 
to Jaffna in March 2003, the QRDF team made excellent 
progress in humanitarian demining.  Operating near the 
village of Sarasalai, roughly 20 kilometers east of 
Jaffna town, the team -- which consisted of U.S. 
managers from RONCO company, deminers from Mozambique, 
and several dogs -- removed 244 mines and 106 pieces of 
unexploded ordnance (UXO).  Total square meters cleared 
as of July 17 -- the day the QRDF wrapped up its 
demining program -- was 72,208. 
 
4.  (SBU) KUDOS FOR QRDF:  U.S. involvement in sustained 
humanitarian demining in Sri Lanka continues to earn 
rave reviews.  The Tamil community, for example, has 
been effusive in its praise for the USG effort, noting 
that the QRDF has assisted greatly in the safe return of 
displaced persons to their points of origin. 
(Note:  There are an estimated 500,000 IDPs left in Sri 
Lanka, with about 300,000 returns since the advent of 
the peace process in December 2001.)  Tamil contacts 
have noted to us that the QRDF's efforts underscored 
U.S. concern with the well-being of their community, as 
well as USG support for the peace track.  "TamilNet," 
the pro-Tamil Tiger website, has also placed a favorable 
spotlight on the QRDF's activities in recent articles. 
(Note:  TamilNet largely ignored the QRDF team that was 
in Jaffna in 2002.)  Cooperation between the QRDF and 
the Sri Lankan government has also been excellent. 
 
5.  (SBU) NEXT STEPS:  With respect to the USG's next 
moves re demining, Mission is currently working with 
PM/HDP to implement another State Department-sponsored 
RONCO-led program in Sri Lanka.  Per Ref A, this 
program, which is currently scheduled to begin in August 
2003, would train Sri Lanka Army (SLA) deminers at a 
facility in the southern part of the country.  This 
"next step" program would assist in Jaffna demining, as 
the SLA is implementing a large-scale demining program 
in that area.  (Note:  SLA demining, in general, is not 
up to international humanitarian standards, which is why 
it needs extensive training.) 
 
6.  (SBU) COMMENT:  As with its predecessor program in 
2002, the QRDF has helped underscore strong U.S. support 
for the peace process.  It has also helped undermine the 
Tigers' repeated assertion that international assistance 
never gets through to Tamil majority areas.  Given the 
importance of sustained involvement in this area, 
Mission looks forward to implementation of the follow-on 
USG-sponsored demining program described above.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
7.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
ENTWISTLE