By Colombo Telegraph –
“United National Party and opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe believed that the U.S. was on the right track in publishing the ‘Incidents Report’ and should ‘keep the pressure on the GSL’” the US Embassy wrote to Washington.
A leaked US unclassified, but “SENSITIVE” diplomatic cable, recounts details of meetings the US Senate Foreign Relations staff members has had with the senior government officials, international organizations, political leaders, civil-society activists, and journalists between November 2-8, 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.
Under the subheading of “UNP LEADER: ‘KEEP THE PRESSURE ON’” the US Ambassador wrote “ Wikremesinghe felt the Sri Lanka Sri Lankans didn’t want to lose their relation with the U.S. and the government’s criticism of U.S. recent remarks were ‘complete nonsense.’ He was not particularly concerned with China’s developing relationship with Sri Lanka. He countered that if China continued to expand its position in Sri Lanka, India would intervene and keep a balance on that front.”
“On the issue of media freedom, Wikremesinghe was very critical of government’s suppression of free press. He was optimistic about defeating President Rajapaksa in the upcoming elections, and was confident about becoming the next Prime Minister and doing the ‘needed surgery’ to improve the conditions in SL.” the Ambassador Butenis further wrote.
The Colombo Telegraph publishes the relevant part of the leaked cable below.
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VZCZCXRO5326 PP RUEHBI DE RUEHLM #1054/01 3270240 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 230240Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0805 INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 2075 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 9103 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 7345 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5246 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3500 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 5184 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0719 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4299 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 9666 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 6960 RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO 0040 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3842 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 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. UNP LEADER: "KEEP THE PRESSURE ON" ----------------------------------- ¶8. (SBU) United National Party (UNP) and opposition leader Ranil Wikremesinghe believed that the U.S. was on the right track in publishing the "Incidents Report" and should "keep the pressure on the GSL." Wikremesinghe felt the Sri Lankans didn't want to lose COLOMBO 00001054 004 OF 006 their relationship with the U.S. and the government's criticism of U.S. recent remarks were "complete nonsense." He was not particularly concerned with China's developing relationship with Sri Lanka. He countered that if China continued to expand its position in Sri Lanka, India would intervene and keep a balance on that front. On the issue of media freedom, Wikremesinghe was very critical of the government's suppression of the free press. He was optimistic about defeating President Rajapaksa in the upcoming elections, and was confident about becoming the next Prime Minister and doing the "needed surgery" to improve the conditions in SL. BUTENIS
Peter Casie Chetty / November 17, 2011
If this man had gone on bended knee to the US it is no less than prostitution of the people’s faith. This will be the ultimate insult to his “manhood” like making his neighbour mate with his wife. The US is one of the worst regimes as far as Human Rights are concerned. The fact that Jews run their country and most of the other Western “Democracies” show why every state in the Middle East is in turmoil. What does he expect? A Coup D’Etat financed by the US where he can come to power without a ballot being held! The US has done as much for a lot of dictators but for that to happen Ranil will have to prevent being sodomised by his own party members. He brags of being the only one who did not go to a foriegn University but where would he have gone without his mother to feed and nurse him? We need a man a real man like Gotabaya to be in the man in the engine room to guide the ship through these storms. A man who will not bend and cringe before anyone. Ranil was even let down by the LTTE!
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Henry / November 17, 2011
This guy has no self-respect. In my view, all the citizens in the country, except those spineless UNPrs like Atanayake, Karunanaike, and the other Karu, who have a history of belittling the nation, know that if the UNP get power Sri Lanka will be a another colony of the west. These are the same people who signed a peace accord at the request of Norway to appease the LTTE. Imagine if this born loser won the election in 2006, where the country would have been today… I thank all those rural masses who did not vote for the UNP.
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Pimpykaran is dead ha ha ha / November 17, 2011
Ranil is a born loser who has not yet won a single election for the past 15 years. He is hated and distrusted even by the UNP. Therefore it would be surprising if a super power even gave a rat’s ass about his comments & day dreams. All this is clearly a senile idiots wishful thinking.
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ruwanferdinandez / November 17, 2011
His comments have been made null and void by himself, when he said he could defeat Rajapakse in 2009.What a con artist!
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Parakrama / November 17, 2011
All of you guys are spot on, however US need a puppet like him to get at us. So he will not be going away from politics soon. We Sri Lankans need to be vigilant, USA UNP JVP together will try to engineer something similar to Middle East.
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Geoffrey Moreira / November 17, 2011
ranil…you got to be kidding!!! A DISGRACE TO THE POLITICAL PARTY…RESIGN FORTHWITH..
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Jake / November 18, 2011
Some of the comments are just shocking! I start to wonder if I am living in another country from the persons above. The people who were meant to represent us in the parliament decided to cross over to the government soon after they were voted in for personal gain . The opposition is weak in numbers and further weakened by Ranil’s want to remain as the head. However the opposition is a crucial and vital component of any cabinet any when this breaks down the system of democracy is weakened. As such the voice of dissent is not represented or reflected numerically in parliament. We now have a government with unquestioned authority and if the history of this country has thought us any lessons it is that our democracy is extremely weak.
Have we not seen extra judicial killings? Have we not seen abductions/disappearances? Have we not seen bills passed in parliament that question if not strip Sri Lankans of civil liberties and human rights? Did we not see media institutions attacked and bombed?
I love my country and would hate to see a group of individuals who make up a government abuse it!
I would say that the international community has a responsibility towards the people of Sri Lanka to as such i welcome pressure on the government of Sri Lanka to rein in the regime that so badly needs it.
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