By Colombo Telegraph –

“In a meeting called by Ambassador to discuss reftel demarche to capitals, chiefs of missions (COMs) in Colombo agreed with the U.S. assessment that the political situation in Sri Lanka had deteriorated after the presidential elections in terms of the Fonseka arrest, intimidation of the media, purges in the military and police, and renewal of Emergency Regulations. They also noted new threats to NGOs and INGOs, particularly Transparency International. COMs were unsure whether the recent political crackdown was temporary or indicated a new style of leadership by the Rajapaksa regime, though it appeared the Rajapaksas were set on a more authoritarian course.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

The Colombo Telegraph found the leaked “CONFIDENTIAL” US diplomatic cable from WikiLeak database, which recounts the details of a meeting US Ambassador has had with other Ambassadors. The Cable is written by the Ambassador Particia Butens on February 26, 2010.

Ambassador Butenis wrote “On February 25, Ambassador followed up reftel demarche to select capitals with a meeting with COMs of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland, plus the EU and UN, to discuss the current situation in Sri Lanka and gather thoughts on the way ahead.”

“COMs made several recommendations for the way ahead including: — Refrain from active public engagement — especially in the press — with the government of Sri Lanka (GSL) until after parliamentary elections April 8. — At the same time, we should be prepared to hit the GSL hard privately or publicly if it moved forward with persecution of NGOs and INGOs. — After the parliamentary elections, we immediately and forcefully should re-engage to hold President Rajapaksa to his promises on reconciliation, the 13th Amendment, and economic development in the north and east. — In capitals, governments should encourage Tamil diasporas to renounce separatism and militancy, to find ways to make constructive contributions to economic re-development and political reconciliation, and to engage as far as possible with the GSL.” Butenis further wrote.

We give below the relevant part of the cable;

VZCZCXRO3939
OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHLM #0143/01 0570816
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 260816Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1369
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2454
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 9470
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7726
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5462
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3893
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0048
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0246
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0864
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4511
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 0031
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 7265
RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0243
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0155
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 03 COLOMBO 000143 

SIPDIS 

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: COLOMBO CHIEFS OF MISSION RECOMMEND WAYS FORWARD 

REF: SECSTATE 16163 

COLOMBO 00000143  001.2 OF 003 

Classified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA A. BUTENIS.  REASONS: 1.4 (B, D) 

¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting called by Ambassador to discuss
reftel demarche to capitals, chiefs of missions (COMs) in
Colombo agreed with the U.S. assessment that the political
situation in Sri Lanka had deteriorated after the
presidential elections in terms of the Fonseka arrest,
intimidation of the media, purges in the military and police,
and renewal of Emergency Regulations.  They also noted new
threats to NGOs and INGOs, particularly Transparency
International.  COMs were unsure whether the recent political
crackdown was temporary or indicated a new style of
leadership by the Rajapaksa regime, though it appeared the
Rajapaksas were set on a more authoritarian course.  COMs
made several recommendations for the way ahead including: 

-- Refrain from active public engagement -- especially in the
press -- with the government of Sri Lanka (GSL) until after
parliamentary elections April 8. 

-- At the same time, we should be prepared to hit the GSL
hard privately or publicly if it moved forward with
persecution of NGOs and INGOs. 

-- After the parliamentary elections, we immediately and
forcefully should re-engage to hold President Rajapaksa to
his promises on reconciliation, the 13th Amendment, and
economic development in the north and east. 

-- In capitals, governments should encourage Tamil diasporas
to renounce separatism and militancy, to find ways to make
constructive contributions to economic re-development and
political reconciliation, and to engage as far as possible
with the GSL.

BUTENIS