“Rajapaksa noted that in defeating the LTTE terrorists the war had ‘not been clean,’ but was still a success.” the US Ambassador to Colombo informed 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.
The US Ambassador wrote “Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa expressed frustration that the U.S. and international community had not recognized the government’s progressive transition to democracy, ethnic reconciliation, disarmament and demobilization of paramilitary groups, rehabilitation of child soldiers, and economic development. He repeatedly used the Eastern Province as an example of the government’s demonstrated performance record and as a model for plans in the North.” “He regretted that SL was ‘poor at propaganda’ and had done a poor job communicating its actions and intent to the international community, especially the U.S. and the West. While quick to criticize, the U.S. had been slow to acknowledge SL’s achievements.” she further wrote.
The Ambassador Butenis wrote “Rajapaksa believed strongly in the value of repairing SL’s relations with the U.S. and recommended that the U.S. should focus its attention to the future and not the past, judging the GSL on its record of performance in the Eastern Province, and not on the agendas of its critics.”
In the meeting Gotabaya Rajapaksa also discussed the issues related to military. The US Ambassador wrote “ The Defense Secretary ruled out expansion of the military – dismissing it as ‘only the Army talking’ – and said he hoped to increase SL military’s involvement in future UN peacekeeping operations. According to Rajapksa, the increases in the defense budget were meant to meet payment schedules for acquisitions during the war from China, Pakistan and Israel.”
“The Defence Secretary tool the opportunity to apologize to the staffers for involving them in a security incident at their hotel room the night before. The incident occurred when they received a surprise visit to one of their rooms by Sri Lankan plain clothes police. The police , acting on orders to investigate an anonymous tip that room 1603 (staffer’s room) was harbouring a terrorist, reacted by going directly to the room (not alerting the hotel) to investigate. The Defense Secretary explained that he had personally received this tip; had he known that the staffers were the occupants of the room 1603, he would have prevented the incident.” The Ambassador Butenis wrote. She further wrote “While the Defense Secretary apologized for the incident, it demonstrated heightened security concerns and lack of an adequate information – screening process by the police and the Defense Secretary”
Realated news ; WikiLeaks: “ I’m not saying we are clean” Basil to US Senate Foreign Relations staff
The Colombo Telegraph publishes the relevant part of the leaked cable below;
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. PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR: CRITICISMS NOT WARRANTED ------------------------ ¶2. (SBU) The president's brother, MP, and de-facto czar of the IDP and demining issues Basil Rajapaksa hoped to improve the bilateral relationship and build trust with the U.S. He was critical of recent U.S. remarks and recommended that the U.S. should choose its words carefully. For example, he noted that "the U.S. monitoring the progress" was perceived as "U.S. encroachment on SL's sovereignty." While Sri Lanka was a small but proud country, SL did not warrant a "minority mindset". He suggested that the U.S. should approach SL as "friends" and "give suggestions rather than make critical remarks," and such criticisms were a recent phenomenon. In response to the "incident's report," Rajapaksa candidly remarked, "I'm not saying we're clean; we could not abide by international law - this would have gone on for centuries, an additional 60 years." He highlighted the GSL's excellent relationship with India, and argued that even India did not request monitoring of SL's progress. Basil spoke at length on the resettlement progress and noted that January 31 ends the 180-day plan, and that the GSL had promised to have 80% of the IDPs released in 180 days, but that "Blake had said our plan was too ambitious." He asserted that 80% of the IDPs would be released by the end of January. He did not want to release details of the government's plan because any delays or changes would leave the GSL open to international criticism. Basil believed SL was well on its way "to win the hearts and minds of the people" and to resettle the IDPs. On freedom of movement, the GSL was still concerned about LTTE sympathizers in the camps and took a paternal view of the safety of IDPs returning to cleared lands. On media freedom, Basil argued that the media had not been singled out, and that high ranking police and army officials and members of the business community had also been imprisoned on the terrorism charges. On media access to the camps, Rajapaksa emphasized that media restrictions in the camps were for the benefit of the IDPs and commented that "IDPs don't like media, cameras, because they don't want to be portrayed in those conditions." He pointed out that free access would be only granted to those "genuinely interested" and only those "that could be truly trusted." DEFENSE SECRETARY: NO RECOGNITION OF GSL'S PROGRESS ----------------------------- ¶3. (SBU) Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa expressed frustration that the U.S. and international community had not recognized the government's progressive transition to democracy, ethnic reconciliation, disarmament and demobilization of paramilitary groups, rehabilitation of child soldiers, and economic development. He repeatedly used the Eastern Province as an example of the government's demonstrated performance record and as a model for COLOMBO 00001054 002 OF 006 plans in the North. He regretted that SL was "poor at propaganda" and had done a poor job communicating its actions and intent to the international community, especially the U.S. and the West. While quick to criticize, the U.S. had been slow to acknowledge SL's achievements. Rajapaksa believed strongly in the value of repairing SL's relations with the U.S. and recommended that the U.S. should focus its attention on the future and not the past, judging the GSL on its record of performance in the Eastern Province, and not on the agendas of its critics. Rajapaksa reiterated SL's real victory over the LTTE and contended that lasting peace would only be achieved by development in the North. Rajapaksa noted that in defeating the LTTE terrorists the war had "not been clean," but was still a success. The Defense Secretary ruled out expansion of the military - dismissing it as "only the army talking" - and said he hoped to increase SL military's involvement in future UN peacekeeping operations. According to Rajapaksa, the increases in the defense budget were meant to meet payment schedules for acquisitions during the war from China, Pakistan and Israel. The Defense Secretary took the opportunity to apologize to the staffers for involving them in a security incident at their hotel room the night before. The incident occurred when they received a surprise visit to one of their rooms by Sri Lankan plain clothes police. The police, acting on orders to investigate an anonymous tip that room 1603 (staffer's room) was harboring a terrorist, reacted by going directly to the room (not alerting the hotel) to investigate. The Defense Secretary explained that he had personally received this tip; had he known that the staffers were the occupants of the room 1603, he would have prevented the incident. While the Defense Secretary apologized for the incident, it demonstrated heightened security concerns and lack of an adequate information-screening process by the police and the Defense Secretary. BUTENIS
Peter Casie Chetty / November 9, 2011
I suppose the US Ambassador is an imbecile enough to think that her country has fought clean wars in the past. The amount of war crimes committed in Vietnam were never brought to light. The massacre of the village of Mai Lai showed proof of the American disregard for the lives of cvilians when the man who ordered the killing of a number of unarmed civilian old men women and children was senteced to 8 years imprisonment. This would never have happened if some of his soldiers did not bring it to the notice of the American authorities who were obliged to take action. Ask Mrs Butenis if the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are clean. Why are there so many civilian deaths if the US fought clean wars?
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Sumith / November 9, 2011
Very well put!
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Athula Perera / March 4, 2012
Of the 26 charged for Mai Lai only one was convictedn and he (Calley) was released early. The helicopter pilots who flew low and tried to stop the massacre received death threats and it took 30 years before the USA recognised their bravery. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre
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daggy / November 9, 2011
“Why are there so many civillian deaths if the US fought clean war” ?
Its because none of their wars were clean.
Only American lives are precious.
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jey / November 9, 2011
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa shoud hang for killing thousand of civilian.
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beau / November 10, 2011
huh, terrorists masquerading as civilians. Blame your Prabhakaran for holding the remaining civilians as his personal defence shield even after he was repeatedly told to let go of them. Hang him on the yardarm for the death of your kith and kin.
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Geoffrey Moreira / November 9, 2011
for pete’s sake Mrs Butenis..are you educated enough to realise that war is WAR…good, bad or indifferent..seriously consider the wars in vietnam, afghanistan, iraq & numerous attempts to depose democratically elected heads of state….
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Cynthia / November 13, 2011
If Gota himself admitted to the US Senate Foreign Relations Staff that “the war had not been clean”,
and Basil also says ‘ I am not saying we are clean, we could not abide by International Law” they
are acknowledging that there was some wrong doing ,and that both Gota and Basil are privy to some
information which corroborates their statements.. In view of this ,it is clear ,and we have to conclude
that their brother and Commander in Chief is also aware of these facts.
So ….are we guilty or not guilty of the charges leveled against us?
Not guilty because others have also waged “unclean ‘ wars ?
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Shiva / November 14, 2011
No one may not be questioning about the war and killing of the LTTE fighters.
Whereas the Rajapakse regime put over 300,000 innocents Tamils like cattle and abducted at night, tortured, raped and murdered tens of thousands of innocent people.
Even today abductions, torture, rape and murder are going on and Tamils are treated worse than slaves in Sri Lanka.
Indian congress regime’s alleged criminal intentions against the Tamils are well known to the world. India under Congress is the worst inhuman and corrupt regime on earth.
It is the duty of the International community to have an independent international investigation in Sri Lanka and about the Indian officials’ collaboration against innocent Tamils, human rights abuses and war crimes.
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Shiva / November 14, 2011
Alleged criminals bringing democracy?
Gotabhaya should know that there is no democracy in Sri Lanka even after ending the war and it is full of Sinhala chauvinist thuggary, racism, Apartheid and crimes are committed daily without any rule of law, equality, accountability and justice.
This regime is not capable of bringing anyone to accountability and justice as it is primarily responsible for the crimes committed and deny access to the International community, NGOs, Human Rights Groups, media and Journalists and diplomats to have unrestricted access to Tamils and Tamil areas.
It is sad to see that although US knew about the crimes committed it has not taken any step to being the perpetrators to accountability and Justice.
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George / November 14, 2011
Shiva are you from this world? who killed most number of Tamils in Sri Lanka? Who killed Doreappa ? who killed Amirthalingam & many of other tamil leaders?
Now the peace has come to the country and let us live peacefully without dark ghost of LTTE.
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Mahasona / November 15, 2011
When LTTE doing war crimes to innocent civilians where were you ?
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janaka / November 14, 2011
Whaw! US is fighting clean wars! Mrs.Butanis please show us where US fight a clean war? May be you’ll fight a clean war in Viatnam to lose the war. But it can’t be in Iraq because we saw that killings in prison & that helicopter attack against civilians.
May be attacks in Packistan was clean because Osama died with gun shot wounds or may be killing of Gaddafi was clean because he was wearing that famous sunglass of his.
Oh may be in Afganistan because we heard one of your five star genral saying that US is loosing the war in Afganistan. good that’s how you should caryout clean wars.
keep it up! Good Job!
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