By Colombo Telegraph –
“Perera and Saravanamuttu believed that raising the issue of full implementation of the 13th Amendment was something of a “red herring” used by the GSL to avoid discussing reconciliation and a long-term equitable political solution.” the US Ambassador Patricia A Butenis wrote to Washington after a meeting with members of the civil society.
A leaked US unclassified, but “SENSITIVE” diplomatic cable, recounts details of meetings the US Senate Foreign Relations staff has had with senior government officials, international organizations, political leaders, civil-society activists, and journalists between November 2 and 8, 2009. The Colombo Telegraph found the cable from WikiLeaks database. The cable was written on December 1, 2009 by the US Ambassador to Colombo Patricia A. Butenis.
Ambassador Butenis wrote “At a roundtable discussion, Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Director P. Saravanamuttu, National Peace Council (NPC) Chairman Jehan Perera, University of Colombo Professor Dr. Keethaponcalan, and former SL Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Javed Yusuf discussed Tamil community concerns, freedom of movement of IDPs, and constitutional reform with the StaffDel. Saravanamuttu stressed that the detention of the IDPs was ‘illegal under Sri Lankan law.’”
“The group emphasized the need for electoral reform and international election observers and mentioned a possible role for the Carter Center. They explained the powers of devolution and decentralization, the weakness of the 13th Amendment and the GSL’s ability to undermine the authority of the provincial council system. Perera and Saravanamuttu believed that raising the issue of full implementation of the 13th Amendment was something of a ‘red herring’ used by the GSL to avoid discussing reconciliation and a long-term equitable political solution. National issues such as allocation of land, rule of law, and the non-implementation of the official languages policy continued to drive the conflict. The discussion underscored the president’s failure to implement the 17th Amendment and the politicization of the commissions and therefore the politicization of promotions and transfers within the police and the judiciary.” Butenis further wrote.
Below we give the relevant part of the confidential cable;
Related news to this cable;
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: “KEEP THE PRESSURE ON” – Ranil Wickremesinghe
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 001054 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM CE SUBJECT: SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE (SFRC) FACT FINDING MISSION TO SRI LANKA ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On November 2-8, Senate Foreign Relations staff members Nilmini Rubin and Fatema Sumar visited Sri Lanka and held meetings with senior government officials, international organizations, political leaders, civil-society activists, and journalists to discuss post war reconciliation, resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs), the humanitarian situation, and media freedom. They also visited the South, East and IDP camp at Manik Farm. The StaffDel observed that the post-war situation in Sri Lanka was complex, particularly in light of possible elections; Sri Lankans no longer sensed a strong partnership with the U.S.; the U.S. "tool box" in dealing with the government of Sri Lanka (GSL) was self-limited; a sense of palpable fear still hung over the media and civil society; and while the GSL was making progress and doing some good things, SL had a long way to go on reconciliation and resettlement. Recognizing SL's geo-strategic importance to the U.S. and the current and long-term bilateral relationship, many SL interlocutors gave their recommendations on strengthening the relationship and noted a need for more U.S. assistance for resettlement and demining. END SUMMARY. CPA and NPC: Constitutional Reform ----------------------------------- ¶10. (SBU) At a roundtable discussion, Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Director P. Saravanamuttu, National Peace Council (NPC) Chairman Jehan Perera, University of Colombo Professor Dr. Keethaponcalan, and former SL Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Javed Yusuf discussed Tamil community concerns, freedom of movement of IDPs, and constitutional reform with the StaffDel. Saravanamuttu stressed that the detention of the IDPs was "illegal under Sri Lankan law." The group emphasized the need for electoral reform and international election observers and mentioned a possible role for the Carter Center. They explained the powers of devolution and decentralization, the weakness of the 13th Amendment and the GSL's ability to undermine the authority of the provincial council system. Perera and Saravanamuttu believed that raising the issue of full implementation of the 13th Amendment was something of a "red herring" used by the GSL to avoid discussing reconciliation and a long-term equitable political solution. National issues such as allocation of land, rule of law, and the non-implementation of the official languages policy continued to drive the conflict. The discussion underscored the president's failure to implement the 17th Amendment and the politicization of the commissions and therefore the politicization of promotions and transfers within the police and the judiciary. BUTENIS
Malinda Seneviratne / December 15, 2011
these two jokers have yet to answer queries regarding funds they got and ‘lack of clarity’ in publishing accounts. they are yet to answer questions on the relevance of devolution given historical, demographic, geographic and economic realities.
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Nanayakkara / December 15, 2011
If Malinda wants CPA accounts he can look at the website and he can publish his if he wants transparency. As for devolution it is not worth spending time on the poor wretch – too wanting of publicity, too lacking in understanding and education and too full of hurt and harm and hate.
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Das / December 15, 2011
Malinda,
1)The government can indict the two “jokers” about their finances,in courts. Why is this not being done?
2)You must firstly query the “jokers” in parliament – at least the leaders – who were reponsible for the 13th amendment. Why dont you at least do this in your newspaper?
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Ananda lanerolle / December 16, 2011
Malinda Joseph Goebbels in Hitlers Germany is a better person than you
Ananda Lanerolle
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Sathyapala / December 15, 2011
Looks like a couple of ‘bottom feeders’ cat fish ana tiger fish, talking of herrings.
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DG US / December 15, 2011
Malinda is correct about the Money and Bottom Feeders. But Malinda is a Mala Peraythaya. The Americans are not interested in HR. They work for the Senators and interested only in relection of the Senators and US interest which not about the pain, suffering and killing of the Tamils. Concentration Camps in the 21st Century is an absolute disgrace.. 260,000 Tamil homes destroyed and Sinhala GOSL is building white elephant projects in Hambantota for 4 Billion dollars which increases debt, and losses to the country’s treasury. None of the Sinhalese have the freaking brains to write and challenge. That applies to the Cougar Bandaranayake.
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Kalinga / December 16, 2011
Hey DG us, Tamils shouldnt have taken up arms and suicide bomb Sri lankans. If you take up arms come to fight you should be ready to loose not only houses but everything. 260000 houses.indeed ! Tamils never had that many houses in the north. why havent you talked about the 250000 women raped and 300000 men genocided(tm). Stay in US and be loyal to that country which you couldnt do in SL. May be in few years you could ask for a home land there. The red necks will love that. We Sri Lankans have brains, we dont want to challenge anybody, not even Channel 4 LTTE backed film makers,we just get on with enjoying the peace we have in our paradise island ! we let our beloved forces to fight the terrorists and our popular and elected leaders to get on with it as they like. We sure dont like the stinking, racist, ass hole Tamils who tried to create a monoethnic ghetto. Thank God we managed to ass kick the bugers. Stay in US, dont call us we will call you.
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Sam / December 17, 2011
Well said KALINGA
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Ruwan Ferdinandez / December 15, 2011
Of the two jokers, Saravanamutthu is forgivable because he is one of those tamils who has been fighting hard to keep Prabhakaran’s dream a reality.He always wanted to be Kadirgamar’s counterpart in the LTTE camp. As for Jehan, talking about him and his work is not worth the paper his name is written on, unless the paper is of course the toilet paper, in which case it is equal.Jehan is the one who wrote once that he was surprised to find the people in a town he went to, were not scared of the police but got on with their lives. What a plonker! He knows nothing about the country or even his own balls, if he has them that is!
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Sam / December 17, 2011
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