By Colombo Telegraph –
“In an October 6 meeting with Ambassador, Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said the president “could” appoint a new commission to look at complaints or use some existing mechanism, such as an ombudsman. He also noted that, contrary to widely held impressions, the army had investigated and prosecuted individual soldiers for individual crimes (presumably stealing, rape, murder, etc.) committed during the war, and Major General Peiris heading the military legal department could provide more information. (NOTE: Embassy will be following up with the general as soon as possible. END NOTE.)” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
The Colombo Telegraph found the leaked US diplomatic cable from WikiLeak database. The Cable is classified as “confidential” and written by the Ambassador Patricia Butenis on October 7, 2009.
Read the cable below for further details;
VZCZCXRO4278 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHLM #0938 2801244 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 071244Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0607 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1935 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 8971 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7209 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5152 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3349 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 5108 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1385 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0643 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4218 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9531 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6832 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 1314 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3764 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 COLOMBO 000938 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE SUBJECT: JUSTICE MINISTER, DEFENSE SECRETARY DISCUSS ACCOUNTABILITY/RECONCILIATION MECHANISMS Classified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA A. BUTENIS. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) In an October 7 meeting with Ambassador, Justice Minister Malinda Moragoda said the 1987 Youth Commission, which looked at the roots of the JVP uprising, might be a mechanism that Sri Lanka could use to get at the questions of accountability and reconciliation. In response to Ambassador's query about how the Sri Lankan government (GSL) would respond to international expectations to put in place a mechanism to address concerns about accountability following the release soon of the Department's war crimes report to the Senate, Moragoda said that President Rajapaksa had been consulting widely on the question. Moragoda said the GSL could not address directly the question of war crimes, per se. But they were looking for some mechanism to allow people to register and get responses on complaints. The president and Moragoda discussed whether the Youth Commission model would work. The focus, Moragoda stressed, would be on reconciliation. He also noted that the president had the constitutional power to appoint commissions and could proceed. In the same breath, however, he reiterated that getting at war crimes directly was "hard," a political reality that was further complicated by the upcoming presidential elections (expected in mid-January). ¶2. (C) Moragoda went on to discuss his impressions of Tamil views on accountability. He noted that 25 percent of his constituents were Tamils, and he was looking for ways to get moderate Tamils more involved in the rehabilitation of former LTTE soldiers and others. He believed that the Tamils in Sri Lanka were interested in "moving on," whereas those in the diaspora were less so inclined. Ambassador encouraged the GSL to make greater efforts to reach out to the Tamil diaspora community and get them involved again in Sri Lanka's reconciliation and re-development. Moragoda in response touched briefly on the diaspora funding of a rehabilitation program through IOM. He concluded by reiterating that pushing hard on the accountability issue could undermine the reconciliation process and "polarize" Sri Lankan society. ¶3. (C) In an October 6 meeting with Ambassador, Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said the president "could" appoint a new commission to look at complaints or use some existing mechanism, such as an ombudsman. He also noted that, contrary to widely held impressions, the army had investigated and prosecuted individual soldiers for individual crimes (presumably stealing, rape, murder, etc.) committed during the war, and Major General Peiris heading the military legal department could provide more information. (NOTE: Embassy will be following up with the general as soon as possible. END NOTE.) BUTENIS
Max Silva / March 10, 2012
Thanks CT for updating us on WikiLeak cables.I wonder whether you got any info regarding the Norwegians training Tamil Tiger terrorists during the bogus peace accord.Also i wonder whether you got any info on certain supposed to be Media outfits being in the payoff off the dreaded Tamil Tiger terrorists.There’s nothing wrong in digging up dirt (True or False)of GOSL.But once in a blue moon don’t you feel that you ought to come out with a bit of dirt on the Tigers and their sponsors.Just a bit,mind you! In that case CT will look a bit independent.Surely you don’t want to be branded as a Tiger outfit,do you?You want many people to visit your website,don’t you?This war crimes issue is becoming stale.These poor defeated Tigers have nothing on mind but war crimes.What you are doing is helping Rajapakse.CT may be an arm of the defeated Tigers.But still my feeling is that there are a few moderate sane persons in your outfit.Otherwise how come my replies are posted without any editing, bar on a couple of occasions?One being about those followers of the all mighty god,the Swedish judges and the other being the word “Chick”.Oh!it’s OK it’s minor.Pl give us a BIT of dirt on the holy Tigers,at least on that old bag Adle Bala.God knows what she is doing right now!No Bala no Velu.Finally,you quote WikiLeak without any reservations.Why don’t you defend it’s founder Julian Assange who was fixed by those god fearing Swedish judges on a false rape charge?After all you are in the same business!
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Peter Casie Chetty / March 10, 2012
Max we cannot expect this site to be impartial. To these people it seems that media freedom is not abused if they hark back on wikileaks to remind us about some rubbish that has never been proven ever. Like the rape murders they had pictures of.
I have a good laugh when the Americans talk about “Human Rights” when at the moment there is a march in Alabama for voting rights of the blacks and hispanic people! We are in 2012 with an Uncle Tom as President.The US denies voting rights to the people who do not have the necessary papers for one reason or another and they come out to try to “democratise” the rest of the world? I mean where is the logic. The Balck people were allowed to vote in 1965! Where we we then. We had a woman Prime Minister and even the Indian Tamils were given the right to vote. The Rajapakse Family should be giving the Americans lessons in how to fight terrorism, good governance given that there are 50 million Americans living below the poverty line, and also a good lecture on what Human Rights is all about. Their Christianity has only promoted more Aparthied.
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Bodinayaka / March 10, 2012
Peter do not underastimate the power of Americans. Mayer Arnorlad Swasanalika has promised that he will take over all the bad guys like he did in Terminator once Obama leaves and he step into office. We have to wait.
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Alan Ginsberg / November 6, 2012
// mean where is the logic. The Balck people were allowed to vote in 1965//
bullshit Peter, read your history,will you ?
As for CT ,well it is as impartial as it gets
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Bodinayaka / March 10, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXt4bKWX7ro
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jamie robertson / March 10, 2012
The disturbed uneducated Gota ,Basil , and the fat guy will be removed by a Sinhalese hero or even by the ultimate Trojan horse Karuna who would become the biggest hero in Tamil history,
The paying of Praba to stop the vote for Ranil was the reason why surrendering tigers were killed on the orders of Gota the petrol shed worker from LA
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Jay Ranaweera / March 12, 2012
How educated are you to point your dirty finger at Great Personalities who WIPED OUT TERRORISTS TAMIL LTTE fron Sri Lankan soil in 2009?
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Mark / March 10, 2012
Wiki Leaks deal with the US embassy discussing various issues relevant to the US government such as human rights. Norwegians training Tamil tigers may not be of US interest neither is the one about some media being paid off by Praba. Maybe these things are true but maybe they don’t concern the US government and hence there may not be any reference to these incidence in the leaked cables. That is why nothing about them have been published. I commend this web site for publishing what they have. It is very eye opening. The Sri Lankan government cannot act like a terrorist organization. But apparently this is exactly what has happened. This is the fundamental reason why previous governments could not do what this one did. It is also in the long run unravelling the entire democratic system of government. These are things that the sycophants of the current regime will never accept or realize.
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DAS / March 10, 2012
When will Gota punish the 108 lankan peacekeepers who were expelled by the UN from Haiti for sexual abuse of haitian females, most of them children?
A female major general went to Haiti to obtain statements from victims.
Until now,there have been no courts martial or indictments in courts of law.
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Bodinayaka / March 10, 2012
comfort women. yes comfort women and a catering company.
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David Blacker / March 12, 2012
If the UN takes the charges seriously, why do they continue to use SL army troops as peacekeepers in Haiti?
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JAYANTHA / March 11, 2012
he is the worst corrupt underworld drug dealer in sri lanka..rape , murder, extortion, ransoms are taking part in our stupid countrydaily because of this underworld raja horu.
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Jay Ranaweera / March 12, 2012
Pl go before the MIRROR and u will see the ONE OF RAJAHORU!!!
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