WikiLeaks: A suggestion for getting many of Sri Lanka´s civilians out of the conflict zone

(May 10, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000308

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR D, P, SCA A/S BOUCHER AND PRM AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, RTHAYER AND RKERR KATHMANDU FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA MROGERS USMISSION GENEVA FOR KYLOH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2019 TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREF, EAID, CE

SUBJECT: A SUGGESTION FOR GETTING MANY OF SRI LANKA´S CIVILIANS OUT OF THE CONFLICT ZONE

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

1. (C) Summary: While the US and some others are engaged in intensive efforts to protect the estimated 120-150,000 civilians trapped in the "safe zone" of northern Sri Lanka from shelling, and assure they have adequate food and medicine, the international community needs a plan to evacuate as many of these civilians as possible. The Sri Lankan Army very soon will control all territory in the north except the safe zone and nationalists here will then push for the SLA to finish the job. Ambassador warned the Foreign Minister on March 18 that such an effort could kill thousands, and potentially tens of thousands of civilians and would likely subject Sri Lanka to war crimes charges and international outrage. The Minister promised the GSL will exercise patience. Others are not so sure. Norway is engaging the LTTE, but these talks are moving slowly. Mission recommends the USG ask the UNSYG to issue a public statement calling on both sides to allow a humanitarian pause in fighting for civilians who want to leave. The LTTE maintains the fiction that civilians do not want to leave. All evidence points to the contrary: several civilians have been shot trying to escape, many others have escaped. We need to call the LTTE´s bluff. The SYG could reassure civilians they will be well treated, recalling Holmes, statement to the UNSC. To give added credibility to his assurances, he should coordinate in advance with the GSL so he can announce that the GSL has invited UN Special Rapporteur for IDP Issues Walter Kaelin to work with GSL to resolve remaining issues in the camps. The ICRC confirms it could then work in the safe zone to determine who actually wants to leave. If the LTTE refuses to cooperate, the UN can say so publicly which would likely cause the LTTE significant problems with its paymasters in the Tamil Diaspora. Ambassador has discussed the outlines of this proposal with the UN, ICRC and Foreign Minister, all of whom believe it is worth trying. End Summary.

Background ----------

2. (C) The USG in Colombo and Washington has been engaged in intensive efforts to protect the estimated 120-150,000 civilians presently trapped in the "safe-zone" in northern Sri Lanka. We have pursued several tracks. First, we and other Co-Chair countries have called on the LTTE immediately to allow civilians freedom of movement. The LTTE has not done so, instead it has shot civilians who have tried to escape, and engaged in forcible recruitment of progressively younger and older civilians to augment its diminishing cadre, now estimated by the government at 400-500. There is also growing evidence of civilian confrontations with the LTTE in the safe zone. Publicly the LTTE continues to insist that it is not safe for the civilians to be evacuated to "concentration camps" in Vavuniya. UN U/SYG Holmes in his recent report to the UN Security Council following his visit to Sri Lanka rebutted the LTTE´s clais and stated that basic needs are being met, altough clearly more needs to be done on several frnts (for example, reduce overcrowding and improve sanitation).

3. (C) While we continue pressure on the LTTE, the U.S. and others have pressed the government not to respond to LTTE shelling emanating from the safe zone. Despite repeated assurances that it would not use heavy weapons or shell the safe zone, Sri Lankan Army continues to respond to LTTE shelling on almost a daily basis and has killed hundreds of civilians just in the last week. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a public statement on March 13 that more than 2800 civilians have been killed just since January 20. Lastly, we and others continue to press the government to allow in food and medicine for the civilians, who are completely dependent on such assistance. The government has done a much better job recently of allowing food in, but the Ministry of Defense continues to block all medical shipments leading to very high rates of mortality for civilians wounded by shelling.

Pressure On GSL to Finish Off the LTTE ----------------------------------------

4. (C) In his February 4 National Day speech, President Rajapaksa promised the Sri Lankan people that the Sri Lankan military would occupy the north "in a matter of days." Today, 6 weeks later, it is clear the LTTE has put up a much stouter defense than anyone anticipated. Nonetheless, the Sri Lankan Army is now clearing the last remaining LTTE-held town of Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK). Mopping up operations may still last one to three weeks, but it is likely that very soon the Sri Lankan Army will control all territory in the north except the safe zone. With the Sinhala and Tamil New Year´s celebrations on April 13 and 14 and Provincial Council elections in late April, the GSL will face mounting domestic pressure from its nationalist base and coalition partners to finish off the LTTE before these take place.

5. (C) A decision by the government to forcibly enter the safe zone to kill or capture the remaining LTTE cadres would have disastrous humanitarian consequences. Credible reporting suggests that the LTTE has prepared trenches and bunkers in the safe zone in anticipation of a long siege. Unless significant numbers of civilians can escape or be evacuated, thousands, or even tens of thousands, of civilians could be killed if the GSL tries to enter the safe zone forcibly.

6. (C) In a meeting with the Foreign Minister on March 18, Ambassador expressed appreciation for the Defense Secretary´s repeated assurances that the GSL would not enter the safe zone forcibly. Nonetheless, the Ambassador noted that he was hearing credible reports that many in the military and elsewhere favor entering the safe zone and finishing off the conflict. The Ambassador warned the Minister that Sri Lanka needed to understand that the deaths of thousands or even tens of thousands of civilians from such an action would cause an international outcry, likely subject the GSL to war crime charges, and almost certainly undermine public support in the U.S. and other donor countries for future reconstruction efforts in the north. The Minister acknowledged these realities and reassured the Ambassador that the GSL has no intention of entering the safe zone forcibly.

Diplomatic Efforts to Evacuate Civilians ----------------------------------------

7. (C) The Government of Norway has been engaged in quiet efforts to persuade the LTTE to allow civilians in the safe zone to leave. (Note: Norwegian efforts must be strictly protected and not referred to either publicly or privately by USG officials with third country nationals.) The LTTE has responded to Norwegian overtures by insisting there should be a cease-fire and political negotiations to resolve the conflict. The LTTE has also raised numerous procedural and other questions about how the UN and ICRC might evacuate civilians, the treatment they would be subjected to in the camps in Vavuniya, and GSL plans to resettle them. The Norwegians have made clear that the time for a cease-fire to pursue political negotiations is now passed; they are only responding to LTTE questions regarding the treatment of civilians once they leave the North. These talks are unlikely to reach a satisfactory conclusion before mid-April. In addition, despite Norway´s good faith efforts, a recent leak to a nationalist newspaper suggests the Government is wary of Norway´s work in this matter and may be preparing the ground to undercut Norway.

A Suggested Plan ----------------

8. (C) It is clear, then, that the international community needs a plan now to evacuate as many of the civilians as possible. Mission recommends that Washington and USUN consider the following approach. The USG should ask the UN Secretary General to issue a public statement calling on both sides to allow a humanitarian pause in fighting for civilians who want to leave. The LTTE maintains the fiction that civilians do not want to leave. As noted above, all evidence points to the contrary. The UN needs to call the LTTE´s bluff. The SYG could reassure civilians they will be well treated, recalling Holmes, late February statement to the UN Security Council. To give added credibility to his assurances, the UN should coordinate in advance with the GSL so the SYG can announce that the GSL has invited UN Special Rapporteur for IDP Issues Walter Kaelin to work with GSL to resolve remaining issues in the camps. It is important the initiative be cast as a GSL proposal given the GSL´s stiff-arming of Special Envoys proposed by the UK and others. Kaelin already has extensive experience in Sri Lanka and would be well suited to this job.

9. (C) The obvious challenge is to get the LTTE´s agreement to this plan. The ICRC confirmed to Embassy Colombo that their staff in the safe zone could develop a mechanism to determine which of the civilians want to leave. If the LTTE refuses to cooperate, the UN must then be prepared to say so publicly. Such an announcement would likely cause the LTTE significant problems with the Tamil Diaspora, who have supported the LTTE thus far and whom the LTTE is counting on to help finance the reconstitution of the LTTE once fighting is over in the North. The Diaspora remains very concerned about the plight of the civilians and would likely help the UN pressure the LTTE to allow those civilians to leave who want to. (Septel will offer thoughts on ways the USG can do more to reach out to the Tamil Diaspora in the U.S. both to respond to their mail campaigns and engage them directly.) Ambassador has discussed the outlines of this proposal with the UN, ICRC and Sri Lanka´s Foreign Minister, all of whom believe it is worth trying. It is clear the LTTE will not let all of the civilians go because the civilians serve as human shields and as a pool for conscription. But even if we can evacuate two-thirds of the civilians, that would mark significant progress.

BLAKE