By Colombo Telegraph

Including those in Ampara - Kannangara GA Ampara

“The president’s campaign had ordered eight GA’s including those in Ampara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa to send election results directly to the president’s house for his review before sending them to the Election Commissioner.” the US ambassador wrote to Washington.

The US ambassador Patricia A. Buttenis and USAID Mission Director met with about ten business representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ampara District and made a separate call on Ampara Government Agent Sunil Kannangara less than a week before the presidential election 2005.

The leaked cable classified as a “CONFIDENTIAL” by the ambassador Patricia A. Buttenis under the title of “ELECTIONS IN AMPARA: INTIMIDATION AND WEAK ALLEGIANSCES”.

“Business representatives reported that Iniya Barathy, Karuna’s second in command and Rajapaksa campaign coordinator, controlled 600 to 700 armed supporters and had created a climate of intimidation that precluded any expression of support for the opposition. On the other hand, support for Rajapaksa appeared weak” Ambassador Patricia further wrote.

30.45% and 67%

Rajapaksa’s chief opinion pollster and close advisor Sunimal Fernando said to the US embassy in less than a week before the election, the President was doing very poorly in the East, mainly due to the corruption issue. Read the Colombo Telegraph story yesterday; http://colombotelegraph.com/2011/10/02/wikileaks-%E2%80%9Crace-is-neck-and-neck%E2%80%9D-rajapaksa%E2%80%99s-chief-pollster-sunimal-fernando/  However Rajapaksa received 67% and Fonseka received 30.45% in Ampara district. See the election results here;  http://www.slelections.gov.lk/presidential2010/13A.html

The private lawyer of the Election Commissioner, Elmore Perera challenged the EC Dayananda Dissanayake just after the presidential election (26 January) to appear live on TV and truthfully divulge to the country where, and with whom, Disanayake and his wife were between 3.30 p.m. on 26th January 2010 and 4.45 p.m. on January 27th 2010. Read his challenge here; http://transcurrents.com/tc/2010/03/where_and_with_whom_were_you_a.html

Read the full confidential cable below;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000048

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE
SUBJECT: ELECTIONS IN AMPARA:  INTIMIDATION AND WEAK
ALLEGIANCES

COLOMBO 00000048  001.2 OF 002

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

A VIEW FROM AMPARA DISTRICT
----------------------------

¶1. (SBU) Ambassador and USAID Mission Director met with about
ten business representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and
Industry in the Ampara District in eastern Sri Lanka and made
a separate call on the Ampara Government Agent (GA), Mr.
Sunil Kannangara.  Ampara has fewer Tamils than its eastern
neighbors Batticaloa and Trincomalee, but its ethnic
diversity (41 percent Muslim, 40 percent Sinhalese and 18
percent Tamil, according to the 2005 census) makes it a
complex campaign ground.

A CLIMATE OF FEAR
-----------------

¶2. (C) Business representatives reported that Iniya Barathy,
Karuna's second in command and Rajapaksa campaign
coordinator, controlled 600 to 700 armed supporters and had
created a climate of intimidation that precluded any
expression of support for the opposition.  On the other hand,
support for Rajapaksa appeared weak, as the promise of Rs
3,000 and dry rations for each attendee at his January 15
meeting lured only 500 villagers.  Tamil voters in particular
were expected to vote against the president rather than for
Fonseka.  Business representatives predicted opposition votes
from 85 percent of Tamils, 65 to 90 percent of Muslims, and
half the Sinhalese.

¶3. (C) Security incidents raised concerns, which the GA was
working to control.  On January 17, buses returning from an
opposition rally were reportedly attacked by motorcycle
riders throwing bricks and 30 to 40 boys charging with
"swords" as they passed through police checkpoints.  The
attackers were apparently alerted to the buses' location by
cell phone from the buses.  On the same day, 25 Fonseka
supporters were injured and one shot in the leg, but it was
unclear whether this was part of the bus incident.  The GA
aimed to prevent violence through police action and crowd
control.  Contacts noted, however, that while the 70 to 80
police in the area were trying to do their jobs, 25 to 27
police had themselves been attacked.  The GA planned to
prohibit meetings and gatherings from January 23 until one
week after elections.

¶4. (C) Approximately 420,000 of 627,000 people in Ampara
District were registered to vote, but some expected that fear
of violence would keep many voters home on election day.  A
group of 59,000 "home guards" were expected to "protect"
Sinahalese areas.  The guards were reportedly headed by
Commander Sarath Weerasekera, the local Sri Lanka Freedom
Party (SLFP) organizer.

ELECTION PROCEDURES
-------------------

¶5. (C) As Returns Officer for Ampara District, the GA was
responsible for organizing and overseeing the election.  He
planned 20 coordinating centers throughout the district, with
officers poised to investigate fraud allegations.  He also
was responsible for reviewing reports of complaints and
irregularities documented by the senior president of the
polling centers, local observers, police and others, and
passing them on to the Elections Commissioner.  After polls
closed, ballots would be taken from polling stations to
counting centers.  One contact stated that the president's
campaign had ordered eight GAs (including  those in Ampara,
Anuradhapura, Polonaruwa and Batticaloa) to send election

COLOMBO 00000048  002.2 OF 002

results directly to the president's house for his review
before sending them on to the Elections Commissioner.  Other
potential irregularities included voter identification fraud,
stuffing of ballot boxes, and removing ink marks in order to
vote multiple times.
BUTENIS