Butenis - while trying not to push Sri Lanka towards Burma-like isolation from the west.
By Colombo Telegraph – “Our challenge is strongly to encourage the Sri Lankan government to embrace reconciliation, accountability, and respect for human rights, while trying not to push the country towards Burma-like isolation from the west” the American Ambassador to Colombo wrote to Washington A leaked US unclassified diplomatic cable discussed the post-war challenges in Sri Lanka. The colombotelegraph.com found the cable from WikiLeaks database. The cable was written on October 30, 2009 by the US Ambassador to Colombo Patricia A. Butenis. Under the subject of “Sri Lanka Scenesetter” the Ambassador Butenis wrote “Sri Lanka at a pivotal point in its modern history. The end of the long secessionist war with the LTTE opens up opportunities for national reconciliation, political reform, economic renewal, and international re-engagement. The question is whether the Sri Lankan leadership has the vision, determination, an courage to seize the opportunity. The Sri Lankans value their relation with the United States.” “Our challenge is strongly to encourage the Sri Lankan government to embrace reconciliation, accountability, and respect for human rights, while trying not to push the country towards Burma-like isolation from the west.” she further wrote. Below we give the relevant part of the cable. Related news; WikiLeaks: ‘I am not saying we are clean!’ – Basil to US Senate Foreign Relations staff WikiLeaks: The war had ‘not been clean’ Gota to US Senate Foreign Relations staff WikiLeaks: GSL is very interested in greater engagement with the U.S. – Moragoda WikiLeaks: Tissa Vitharana thanked US for pushing Sri Lanka closer to China
VZCZCXRO4345 PP RUEHBI DE RUEHLM #0999/01 3030802 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 300802Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0700 INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1995 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 9031 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 7269 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5192 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3419 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 5144 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0679 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4255 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 9594 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 6888 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 1353 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3802 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 COLOMBO 000999 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB; H (pass to SFRC staff) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE SUBJECT: Sri Lanka Scenesetter ¶1. (SBU) Sri Lanka stands at a pivotal point in its modern history. The end of the long secessionist war with the LTTE opens up opportunities for national reconciliation, political reform, economic renewal, and international re-engagement. The question is whether the Sri Lankan leadership has the vision, determination, and courage to seize the opportunity. The Sri Lankans value their realtions with the United States. Our challenge is strongly to encourage the Sri Lankan government to embrace reconciliation, accountability, and respect for human rights, while trying not to push the country towards Burma-like isolation from the West. BUTENIS
Lal Rathnayake / November 14, 2011
So, she understand it now?
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Thambimuttu - US / November 14, 2011
Lal, Understand what?
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Harsha - Japan / November 14, 2011
is she became MR follower? or are they playing with Tamil Diaspora?
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Harischandra / November 14, 2011
Sri Lankans think you are bad, US is bad, just coz the Weeravansa/ gunadasa/ Rajapaksa hate campaign. I’ve been reading this Colombo Telegraph and I understand how objective the US is. one thing I can’t understand why these Sinhalaya’s are this much mad to believe what Rajapaksas publicly say?
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thambi / November 14, 2011
Why demalayas belived on Prabakrans dream world? and intersetingly xxxxx has died but still they belive on same dream.
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Tamil / November 14, 2011
is she really thinks that way?
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Kalu Albert / November 14, 2011
hope so!
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Geoffrey Moreira / November 14, 2011
your kidding yourself butenis….stop being a ” BIG BROTHER ” & trying to intimidate a country that had a decade of civil war against terrorists ( LTTE )..
THE FOLLOWING WILL HAPPEN IN TIME:
Opportunities for national reconciliation, political reform, economic renewal, and international re-engagement…
The Sri Lankan government will embrace reconciliation, accountability, and respect for human rights..I personally observed the progress in august 2011..
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vis8 / November 15, 2011
At least this woman has some conscience compared to the great Mr. Robert Blake, who has effectively swallowed the ltte bait hook-line-and-sinker.
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Pingback: WikiLeaks: Outside neutral observers agree GSL could have finished off LTTE more quickly – Butenis « Colombo Telegraph / November 15, 2011
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September Effect / November 17, 2011
This is funny as hell. They tried to create Burma using their puppet Fonseka, who was “ear marked” as the next ruler of Sri Lanka by the US.
In October 2009 when he visited the US, a point in time before his entry into politics was set in stone, he was treated as though he was a visiting head of state already – a lot had been invested into Fonseka and the Wikileaks cables also show the “close” relationship he had with Blake and Butenis as he confided in them so much. Clearly there was something planned to use him as their man in Colombo. He did deals with the nations enemies (TNA, Ranilam, Mangala) just to get power. In addition he is not fit to be a President, he would have turned the country into a Burma as we clearly saw his “style” of rule during the PE.
His greed, selfishness, ego, anger and spit he saturated the country with is what led to his downfall.
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