“Ambassador recounted recent developments regarding Fonseka, including cancellation of his invitation to attend the recent Chief of Defense conference in Hawaii due to U.S. concerns about his involvement in human-rights violations during the conflict with the LTTE.” The US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
U.S. concerns about Fonseka’s involvement in human-rights violations during the conflict with the LTTE
The Colombo Telegraph found the relevant leaked cable from the WikiLeak database. The cable recount details of a meeting the US Ambassador has had with the Foreign Minister Bogollagama on November 2, 2009. The cable classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” by the Deputy Chief of Mission Valerie C. Fowler.
The US Ambassador Butenis wrote “On November 2, Foreign Minister Bogollagama called in Ambassador regarding reports that the U.S Department of Homeland Security had requested that Sri Lankan Chief of Defense (CHOD) Sarath Fonseka come in for a ‘voluntary’ interview with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Oklahoma City on November 4. (NOTE: Fonseka is a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) in the United Stated and has family and property in Oklahoma. He currently is in the U.S. visiting his family and re-establishing his LPR status. END NOTE)”
“Bogollagama said the interview was a matter of ‘urgency and relevance’ to the government of Sri Lanka and asked for information to ‘help us understand and formulate a proper reaction.’ Ambassador recounted recent developments regarding Fonseka, including cancellation of his invitation to attend the recent Chief of Defense conference in Hawaii due to U.S. concerns about his involvement in human-rights violations during the conflict with the LTTE. She also explained that as a green-card holder, Fonseka was required by U.S. law to confirm his status as and LPR. But as regards the DHS request to see Fonseka on November 4, Ambassador said she did not know the specific reason for the invitation.” she further wrote.
Below we give a part of the confidential cable.
VZCZCXRO6168 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHLM #1006/01 3061237 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 021237Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0714 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2003 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 9039 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7277 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5196 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3431 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 5148 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0021 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0683 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4259 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9602 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6896 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 1357 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3806 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 001006 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE SUBJECT: MFA CALLS IN AMBASSADOR OVER DHS QUESTIONING OF CHOD FONSEKA COLOMBO 00001006 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION VALERIE C. FOWLER. REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) On November 2, Foreign Minister Bogollagama called in Ambassador regarding reports that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had requested that Sri Lankan Chief of Defense (CHOD) Sarath Fonseka come in for a "voluntary" interview with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Oklahoma City on November 4. (NOTE: Fonseka is a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) in the United States and has family and property in Oklahoma. He currently is in the U.S. visiting family and re-establishing his LPR status. END NOTE.) Bogollagama said the interview was a matter of "urgency and relevance" to the government of Sri Lanka (GSL) and asked for information to "help us understand and formulate a proper reaction." ¶2. (C) Ambassador recounted recent developments regarding Fonseka, including cancellation of his invitation to attend the recent Chiefs of Defense conference in Hawaii due to U.S. concerns about his involvement in human-rights violations during the conflict with the LTTE. She also explained that as a green-card holder, Fonseka was required by U.S. law to confirm his status as an LPR. But as regards the DHS request to see Fonseka on November 4, Ambassador said she did not know the specific reason for the invitation. BUTENIS
Jasi / November 21, 2011
He is the biggest HR violator not the Gota, Gota and MR are in 2nd and 3 rd places. this man killed hundreds of Tamil civilians in Ampari in 1990. he must be punished. he deserves this jail terms.
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ashok / November 21, 2011
How come all the Tamils voted for him then? Tamil diaspora wants all Singhalese and Muslims to be killed using Tamil child soldiers and at the same time Diaspora children getting good education at UK,Australia,Canada,Switzerland and German schools and Universities!
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Lucky / November 21, 2011
@Ashok, read this, WikiLeaks: TNA leader is a “show-me-the-money” man
http://colombotelegraph.com/2011/11/07/wikileaks-tna-leader-is-a-%E2%80%9Cshow-me-the-money-man/
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Piranha / November 21, 2011
Because he was the lesser of the two evils fighting the elections. You know the other one who is now screwing the country and its people. You all would have done well and saved the country from all the evil deeds of Rajapakse scowndrels if you all had voted for Fonseka.
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Karu Abesinga / November 21, 2011
why not!
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Harsha - Japan / November 21, 2011
Attacking Journalists Keyth Noyar and Namal Perera
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morris / November 21, 2011
Fonseka’s 3 three sentences not enough, he should have death sentences for killing all these civilian North and East.
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DG US / November 21, 2011
That story was correct. Tamils For Justice and it’s former Attorney was Bruce Fein was fully involved in that process from November 2007, culminating in the request of that interview in November 2009. FYI It was Tamils For Justice that discovered that the Rajapakse brothers were US citizens and surprisingly that the Army Commander and his wife Anoma were Green Card Holders hoping to become US citizens, selling their freaking birth right while wanting to be Sinhala Veeraya and War Hero. Fonseka was ambitious and GREEDY for power, and knew the War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity he himself had committed and it would have been self incrimination. So he preffered the Welikada Jail with a few million dollars of election funds hidden away and not deposited in Sri Lankan Banks. Fonseka really thought that the Sinhala Buddhist Voters and the Tamil fools (Including ME) will use their vote and vote him as President. Instead, he ended up in the Welikada Jail and now he has illusions such as he is the ” SINHALA MANDELA” OR THEMALA KP WHO LIVES IN LUXURY FEEDING GOTHA’S SHARKS. LMAO. MORE LATER … LOL. Butenis was clueless, and please feel free to teel her that with my compliments. DHD and DOJ as well as the White House/UN works independently from petty officials and officers of the State Dept. Fonseka is US’s Meat, including the TAMILS FOR JUSTICE AND US COURTS. We are patient and The Rajapakses have accomplished 50% of the Goals and Objectives of the Tamils For Justice, without T4J spending and wasting hard earned Tamil money on Malaperathayas like attorneys Bruce Fein and Karen Parker. Already that bill and dollars so far spent on these two Carrion Birds (Mala Perathayas) is 2 MILLION DOLLARS. – T4J/DJG
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September Effect / November 26, 2011
What rubbish. It was the UNP which revealed they had connections to the US in their cheap political stunts to damage the nation and the war effort. That is what geared the Tamils in the US into action using Bruce Fein and the rest all thanks to the UNP.
Assisting the enemy to bring danger to the nation is something the UNP continues to engage in today for cheap political stunts. All of which keeps backfiring but their egos will ensure they will never admit they are wrong. A bit like Fonseka.
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Pingback: WikiLeaks: GSL was very concerned about using Fonseka as a source of ‘prying’ « Colombo Telegraph / November 22, 2011
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Pingback: WikiLeaks: U.S. State Department should not interview Fonseka against Gota – GSL urged US « Colombo Telegraph / November 24, 2011
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Pingback: Fonseka Is Between Scylla And Charybdis – Diaspora Will Try Him! « Colombo Telegraph / January 21, 2012
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