India Stress Humanitarian Concern to Sri Lanka

8/7/2019 India Stress Humanitarian Concern to Sri Lanka

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189383: India stress humanitarian concern to Sri Lanka

189383, 1/29/2009 12:27, 09 COLOMBO 106, Embassy Colombo, CONFIDENTIAL,,

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STATE FOR SCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2018 TAGS: PREL, PREF, PHUM, IN, CE SUBJECT:

INDIAN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER STRESSES HUMANITARIAN

CONCERNS TO SRI LANKAN LEADERSHIP

Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr. for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (C) Summary: In a briefing on the January 27 visit to Sri Lanka of External AffairsMinister Mukherjee, Indian Deputy High Commissioner stressed that Mukherjee

registered deep concern over the current humanitarian crisis in the Vanni, where

Tamil civilians are caught in the crossfire between military forces and the Liberation

Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He insisted that the military ensure that medical

supplies reach the safe zone, that exit routes for civilians be clearly marked and

communicated, and that every effort be taken to avoid civilian casualties. President

Rajapaksa was receptive to these humanitarian concerns. The short notice on which

this visit was organized and the fact that it came on the heels of the January 16-17

visit for Indian Foreign Secretary Menon sent a clear signal to Colombo of the

Indian government's deep concern, domestic political considerations

notwithstanding, over the perilous situation for civilians in the Vanni. End

summary.

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Lightning Visit Organized on Short Notice

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2. (C) Indian Deputy High Commissioner Vikram Misri briefed DCM and other

diplomatic colleagues on the January 27 visit to Colombo of External Affairs

Minister Mukherjee. The visit was organized on short notice, with the Indian High

Commission only learning of it 24 hours in advance. Mukherjee arrived at 2030, met

with senior GSL officials, briefed the press, and departed after less than five hours

on the ground. Sri Lankan participants in the two-hour meeting at the President's

residence were President Rajapaksa, Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Foreign

Secretary Palitha Kohona, Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights

Mahinda Samarasinghe, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, the Chief of

Defense Staff, the service chiefs, and the Inspector General of Police.

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Concern Over Deteriorating Humanitarian Situation Foremost

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3. (C) Army Commander Fonseka briefed on the progress of the war since 2006, but

his presentation soon gave way to a frank discussion that focused heavily on the

humanitarian situation in the Vanni. Mukherjee stressed that he had come to

Colombo with no objective other than to ensure that the human rights and safety of

civilians were protected. Mukherjee emphasized four points related to the

humanitarian situation:

- The current ""safe zone"" is not functioning as a safe zone; - The military must

create a humanitarian corridor and ensure that medical supplies reach the safe zone

and the hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK) remain open; - Exit routes for

civilians who want to come out of the Vanni should be clearly marked and

communicated; and - Every effort must be made to avoid human casualties.

4. (C) The President was receptive to these humanitarian concerns. He

acknowledged that the army is shelling LTTE gun positions in the northeastern

portion of the safe zone, but claimed that no civilians are permitted in this area. He

flatly denied the claim that 300 civilians had been killed in recent days. Minister

Samarasinghe said he had spoken with Dr. T. Varatharajah, the Regional Director of

Medical Services in Mullaitivu, who allegedly issued a written statement making

this claim. Samarasinghe said the doctor insisted he had issued no such statement

and had neither a fax nor email, both of which are listed on the bottom of thestatement. (Comment: While the statement itself may possibly have been

disinformation, UN officials on the ground have stated that there have been


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numerous civilian casualties (approximately 50 deaths and more injuries per day)

during the last week. They acknowledge that some of the dead may be LTTE cadres,

but indicate that most are civilians. End comment.)

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President Says APRC Process Nearly Over

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5. (C) On the political front, President Rajapaksa said he supports a 13th

Amendment-plus approach, but did not specify what the ""plus"" would entail.

According to Misri, the President indicated that the APRC process in its current

form is nearly at an end and that he plans to tell APRC Chairman Tissa Vitharana

what he wants in the proposal and instruct him to issue such a proposal.

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Beyond Domestic Political Calculations, Serious Concern

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6. (C) When asked by DCM the degree to which domestic political considerations

were behind Mukherjee's visit, Misri acknowledged that these were a factor butstressed that New Delhi is deeply worried about the humanitarian crisis in the

Vanni. He added that Indians throughout the country, not just in Tamil Nadu, are

troubled by the high level of causualties sustained by Tamil civilians caught in the

crossfire.

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Press Statement

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7. (U) Before departing the country, Mukherjee made the following statement to the

press.

Begin text:

I had detailed, useful and productive discussions with H.E. President Rajapaksaand am pleased with the comprehensive briefing by the Sri Lankan side. We

covered recent developments in Sri Lanka, the entire gamut of India-Sri Lanka


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relations and regional issues of mutual interest. India-Sri Lanka relations are

developing strongly. It is particularly important at this time of transition and

change that we should continue to strengthen our ties.

The President mentioned his hopes for future developments in Sri Lanka. I stressed

that military victories offer a political opportunity to restore life to normalcy in the

Northern Province and throughout Sri Lanka, after twenty three years of conflict.

The President assured me that this was his intent. We will work together with the

Government of Sri Lanka to enable all Sri Lankans, and particularly the Tamil

community who have borne the brunt of the effects of the conflict, to lead normal

lives as soon as possible.

For our part, I expressed our readiness to participate in the reconstruction of

northern Sri Lanka so as to overcome the ravages of war and also to lay the

economic and political foundations of a strong peace in which all communities feelcomfortable. We will be working together on a reconstruction plan for these areas

which will involve infrastructure and other support. I was happy to be informed of

progress towards the establishment of a 500 MW thermal power project near

Trincomalee by NTPC from India.

H.E. President Rajapaksa assured me that it was his intention to move as quickly as

possible to implement the 13th Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution, which,

you would recall, followed the Indian-Sri Lanka agreement of 1987. In fact, hewould explore the possibility of going further and improving upon those devolution

proposals.

We also reviewed the humanitarian situation as a result of the conflict. The Sri

Lankan Government has reassured that they would respect the safe zones and

minimize the effects of conflict on Tamil Civilians. As you know, India has extended

its relief supplies to civilians caught up in the zone of conflict and intends to

continue doing so.

After our conversation H.E. President Rajapaksa was good enough to extend a

personal invitation to an all-party delegation from Tamil Nadu led by Chief

Minister Karunanidhi and Ms. Jayalalitha to see for themselves the situation on the

ground and to persuade the LTTE to lay down arms and join the democratic

mainstream. (Note: It is not clear that this invitation extended to the Vanni; we

imagine this would be unlikely. End note.)

An early restoration of normal democratic life in the areas


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affected by the conflict would be a major contribution to peace and stability. India

will do all that it can bring this about, working with all those who work for this

goal with us.

End text

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Comment

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8. (C) The short notice on which Mukherjee's trip was organized and the fact that it

came little more than ten days after the visit of Foreign Secretary Menon clearly

signaled to the Sri Lankan governnment the seriousness with which New Delhi

views the current humanitarian situation in the Vanni. Despite the diplomaticniceties of Mukherjee's press statement, the Indian High Commission's readout of

the visit indicated that it was all about the need for better protection for Tamil

civilians.

Blake "

Keywords: cable189383, Robert Blake, The India cables, WikiLeaks, Eelam War

IV, LTTE, ethnic conflict, Tamil civilians

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India Stress Humanitarian Concern to Sri Lanka