WikiLeaks: Fight Against Terrorism Is Not Over, Rudrakumaran Is Still In The US – MR To US
By Colombo Telegraph -
“Finally, the president said that the GSL’s fight against terrorism was not over and that extremist networks continued working abroad and even now had no problem raising money. He noted that Tamil activist Rudrakumaran was still in the U.S. and claimed he was still working to support the LTTE. On the rest of the Tamil diaspora, the president complained that while they were quick with their criticisms of the GSL, most of them had not set foot in Sri Lanka in years.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran
Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran - Prime Minister TGTE
A Leaked ‘Confidential’ US diplomatic cable, dated September 18, 2009, updated the Secretary of State regarding Ambassador Patricia Butenis’s credentialing ceremony and a private meeting she had with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable is signed by the US Ambassador to Colombo Patricia Butenis.
Ambassador Butenis wrote; ”Turning to the NGOs engaged in relief efforts, the president said that after the 2004 tsunami, 3,000 NGOs came to Sri Lanka, but some of them began working with the LTTE. Nevertheless, the GSL was now allowing over 50 NGOs to work in the IDP camps along with the UN. Rajapaksa then criticized the UN for — against GSL advice — building poor temporary shelters for the IDPs, who were now suffering. (NOTE: This is a standard GSL criticism. In fact, the UN from the start had warned the GSL of the dangers of flooding in the camps and had refused to build the permanent structures to house IDPs that the GSL wanted because the UN did not want to assist in building internment camps. END NOTE.)”
“Ambassador underscored the value of the larger bilateral relationship and noted the great potential that existed for expanding our cooperation in many areas. She stressed, however, that the IDP issue had to be resolved and that until it was, U.S.-Sri Lankan relations would be affected.” Butenis further wrote.
Placing a comment she wrote; “ President Rajapaksa had little new to say on GSL policies, but his initial meeting with ambassador was cordial. The FM and others said several times that the speed of the scheduling of ambassador’s credentialing was meant as a signal of the GSL’s desire to put the bilateral relationship on a new footing. There is, indeed, great potential for expanding and improving the relationship, but as ambassador noted to the president, lack of movement by the GSL on IDP freedom of movement and other issues could seriously hamper progress.”
Read the cable below for further details;
Related stories to this cable;
WikiLeaks: Bush Personally Had Encouraged Rajapaksa To Pursue Defeat Of The LTTE
VZCZCXRO8974 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHLM #0893/01 2611114 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 181114Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0539 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1905 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 8934 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7172 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5129 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3311 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 5085 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1362 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0620 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4195 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9499 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6800 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 1291 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3736 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000893 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE SUBJECT: PRESIDENT BEWILDERED, FRUSTRATED WITH U.S. SRI LANKA POLICY COLOMBO 00000893 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA BUTENIS. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a private meeting following ambassador's credentialing ceremony, President Rajapaksa expressed bewilderment and frustration at U.S. policy for encouraging him to fight terrorism and then criticizing him when he did. Rajapaksa claimed that 70 percent of the IDPs locked in camps would be returned by the end of January and complained that the UN was at fault for the poor condition of IDP camps now because they had refused to build the kind of permanent structures the GSL originally wanted. Ambassador underscored the value of the larger bilateral relationship and its great potential for expansion but stressed that the IDP issue will not go away and needs to be resolved. END SUMMARY. AMBASSADOR CREDENTIALED ----------------------- ¶2. (C) On September 17, Ambassador Patricia Butenis presented her credentials to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a ceremony with six other ambassadors. Foreign Minister (FM) Bogollagama made the point that ambassador had been credentialed very quickly after her arrival in country, hinting that this signaled the importance the GSL placed on the relationship with the U.S. and their desire to get it back on track. After the ceremony, the U.S. and Egyptian ambassadors were asked to stay behind for private meetings. Following a few minutes with the Egyptian, President Rajapaksa invited ambassador to speak with him, the FM, and Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga PRESIDENT: TERROR FIGHT CONTINUES --------------------------------- ¶3. (C) Expressing a combination of bewilderment and frustration, the president pointed out that while President Bush personally had encouraged him to pursue defeat of the LTTE, we were now criticizing Sri Lanka for the conduct of its fight against terrorism. The president raised the issue of the war crimes report, which is being prepared by Department. Ambassador explained the origins of the report as congressionally mandated, noted that Assistant Secretary Blake had discussed the report with FM Bogollagama and with the Sri Lankan ambassador in Washington, and informed the president that its release to Congress had been delayed by a month. On the question of freedom of movement for IDPs, the president held to his standard paternalistic line that the GSL could not release them from the camps until de-mining was finished and infrastructure was restored. He promised that 70 percent of the IDPs would be returned by the end of January. Asked to clarify whether they would be allowed to return to their own homes or resettled in new closed camps, FM Bogollagama interjected that they would go to their own homes. ¶4. (C) Turning to the NGOs engaged in relief efforts, the president said that after the 2004 tsunami, 3,000 NGOs came to Sri Lanka, but some of them began working with the LTTE. Nevertheless, the GSL was now allowing over 50 NGOs to work in the IDP camps along with the UN. Rajapaksa then criticized the UN for -- against GSL advice -- building poor temporary shelters for the IDPs, who were now suffering. (NOTE: This is a standard GSL criticism. In fact, the UN from the start had warned the GSL of the dangers of flooding in the camps and had refused to build the permanent structures to house IDPs that the GSL wanted because the UN did not want to assist in building internment camps. END NOTE.) Finally, the president said that the GSL's fight against terrorism was not over and that extremist networks continued working abroad and even now had no problem raising COLOMBO 00000893 002.2 OF 002 money. He noted that Tamil activist Rudrakumaran was still in the U.S. and claimed he was still working to support the LTTE. On the rest of the Tamil diaspora, the president complained that while they were quick with their criticisms of the GSL, most of them had not set foot in Sri Lanka in years. ¶5. (C) Ambassador underscored the value of the larger bilateral relationship and noted the great potential that existed for expanding our cooperation in many areas. She stressed, however, that the IDP issue had to be resolved and that until it was, U.S.-Sri Lankan relations would be affected. COMMENT ------- ¶6. (C) President Rajapaksa had little new to say on GSL policies, but his initial meeting with ambassador was cordial. The FM and others said several times that the speed of the scheduling of ambassador's credentialing was meant as a signal of the GSL's desire to put the bilateral relationship on a new footing. There is, indeed, great potential for expanding and improving the relationship, but as ambassador noted to the president, lack of movement by the GSL on IDP freedom of movement and other issues could seriously hamper progress. BUTENIS
Just imagine Rudra Kumaran being an american or a westerner such Bradley manning or Jukian Asange.
So, he survives in the USA. US follows their usual double standards.
Jim softy - January 27, 2013
10:19 pm
The influence of Rudrakumar in the US is over rated. There is no Tamil block of voters in the US in such numbers as to influence the votes there, unlike in Canada, therefore no member of congress, or senator, will pay Rudrakumar much heed, or be influenced by him. The Israeli lobbies are the most influential in the US, Rudrakumar is just a speck that no one knows about or hears about. His name is unknown, and it seems he is given more prominence here in Sri Lanka. The LTTE is gone, and Rudrakumar will be further diminished into nothing. We should not make mountain out of molehills and make Rudrakumar a force to be reckoned with.
Panda - January 28, 2013
1:55 am
True, there is no vote base but,rudrakumaran is propped up by that rascal lanky bob in the state dept.
NAK - January 29, 2013
1:46 pm
Rudrakumaran and the LTTE remnants in US and elsewhere are only of nuisance value. However,they continue to operate to collect funds for themselves in the name of Eelam. Some Tamil fools may continue to provide funds but they cannot operate at the level they did when LTTE was a force to be reckoned in Sri Lanka. Most Tamil diaspora now realize that LTTE leader missed a golden opportunity when he rejected the federal solution proposal accepted by Anton Balasingham at the Norway initiated negotiations. That eventually paved the way for the total destruction of LTTE. Now only a handful of diehard LTTE supporters turn up for events organised by LTTE remnants. This is clear prove that sooner or later these jokers will give up their absurd call for Eelam.
Most Tamil diaspora see TNA as the only alternative. They are trying to woo TNA leaders who are invited to visit western capitals by some Tamil diaspora organisations. The present visit of Mavai, Selvam and Suresh to Germany is a continuation of this trend. Some of these Tamis are now funding individual TNA MPs like Sritharan and even trying to promote him as the next leader of TNA to suceed Sampanthan. There is not much support for Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and his side-kick “Kuthirai” Kajendran, though they remain as the only Tamil political group still calling for Eelam and self determination. They recently tried to make political capital out of the Jaffna university students’ unrest over the Maveerar Day incidents. They failed miserably and Gajendrakumar chickened out and ran away to his home in London when Police wanted to question him over those incidents. Ponnambalam’s political dynasty had ended with Kumar and this guy Gajendrakumar lacks the character and political acumen his grandfather Senior GG Ponnambalam possessed.
Naga - January 28, 2013
2:50 am
Naga ..
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
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kali - January 28, 2013
3:38 pm
This to the Moderator and I am not sure whether you have Tamil reader in your armoury as it was written in Tamil. It was not an offensive reply but intended to find out whether Naga is a Tamil or Sinhalse as his analysis is factually incorrect and biased
Comment language is English – CT
kali - January 28, 2013
3:58 pm
I appeciate that the comment should be in english but I have read a lot of comments in Sinhalse and I value the contribution by Colombo Telegraph in terms of fair play
kali - January 28, 2013
4:18 pm
MR has begun a new tactic of deviating the attention of the West. He is only dragging the unsettled issue, to continue with the genocidal war on Tamils indirectly on various pretexts. While deviating the attention of the West, he plans to swindle the the Nation’s wealth. Now the completion of the illegal impeachment of the CJ and illegally appointing a corrupted person as CJ, he will introduce new laws known as Mahinda Chintana doctrines and erase all New Law Reports. Before he wages war on Rudrakumaran, things are moving fact where he is trapped within the tentacles of UNHCR and the Commonwela Ministerial Action Conference. Now he has to wage two front attack.
Citizen - January 28, 2013
5:09 am
MR
Stop talking nonsense as your fight against terrorism will not be over untill all the terrorist that is the entire Tamil population of Eelam have either been wiped out or converted in to Sinhalese because you have been manadated to achieve this goal by the vast majority of Sinhalese.
That is your agenda and task and you I am afraid have no intention of granting Tamils their legitimate rights and you are ruling by sheer terror and deception and look at the damage you have caused to the honour, image and intergrity of the nation and the blame lies at the feet of those who voted you into power.
The vast majority of the Sinhalese either dont care or understand the Tamil grievance and for me every human life is precious both Sinhalese and Tamil life but to you MR killing some one to stay in power comes naturally and you have a prooven track record in this .
George Bush is not a decent human being and if you want proof look at his record on Iraq and Lebanon and he will always be remembered for for the terrible atrocities under his watch Iraq and Quantanmo.
Fighting terrorism ( depending on ones perception) is one thing but killing innocent civilans in their thousands in pursuit of this by shelling with 120 mm guns is another.
The British have never killed innocent civilans in Ireland when they fought the IRA.
I live in hope and dark clouds are gathering over MR and he is not going to destroy 3000 year Tamil culture and heritage and as soon as there is a change at the top in India ( Mr.Modi & Miss.J.Jeyeram) next year every thing will be reversed and I will meet any one who has any doubt in an years time
kali - January 28, 2013
2:47 pm
The anti government Singhala Jackals and the Tiger Diaspora and the western politicians bribed by the diaspora are always undermining the Government of Mahinda at every opportunity they get. What dictatorship are these jackals talking about? They would have found dictatorship if the fat pig sun god Prabakaran had defeated Mahinda. These traitors want Sri Lanka reported to the UN. These scum will even sell their parents if it benefits them.Dodgy Ex CJ was only impeached and not impaled.Where were all these Pundits and traitors when the JVP and the LTTE were killing innocent people on their thousands . Did they open their mouths then? Thanks to our fearless leader Mahinda who saved the country from terrorists scum . Now that the country is free the traitors to the motherland have come out of their holes and trying to subvert this great government of Mahinda. The Diaspora and the bribe taking western politicians too have joined these traitors . The government should monitor the activities of the anti government scum and should take appropriate action.
Sudu Akka - January 29, 2013
12:50 am