{"id":710,"date":"2011-10-14T00:41:32","date_gmt":"2011-10-14T00:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/colombotelegraph.com\/?p=710"},"modified":"2011-10-14T00:41:32","modified_gmt":"2011-10-14T00:41:32","slug":"wikileaks-unp-leader-downbeat-but-unbowed-us-ambassador-wrote-to-washington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wikileaks-unp-leader-downbeat-but-unbowed-us-ambassador-wrote-to-washington\/","title":{"rendered":"WIKILEAKS \u2013 UNP LEADER DOWNBEAT BUT UNBOWED \u2013 US AMBASSADOR WROTE TO WASHINGTON"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By Colombo Telegraph<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_712\" style=\"width: 353px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/ranil-colombo-telegraph1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-712\" class=\"size-full wp-image-712\" title=\"Ranil colombo telegraph\" src=\"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/ranil-colombo-telegraph1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"343\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/ranil-colombo-telegraph1.jpg 343w, https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/ranil-colombo-telegraph1-214x300.jpg 214w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 343px) 100vw, 343px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-712\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wickremesinghe appeared to be in control of his party<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWickremesinghe appeared to be in control of his party and remains the central figure in the UNP. But his cautious statements and reluctance to deviate from standers UNP talking points may be Wickremesinghes\u2019s response to internal UNP questioning of his leadership.\u201d the US ambassador wrote to Washington.<\/p>\n<p>The Colombo Telegraph found\u00a0a leaked US diplomatic cable from WikiLeaks database recounts details of the US ambassador\u2019s first meeting with Opposition leader and United National Party leader Ranil Shriyan Wickremesinghe held on October 13, 2009. The cable was classified as \u201cCONFIDENTIAL\u201d by Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis.<\/p>\n<p>Under the subject \u201cUNP Leader downbeat but unbowed\u201d the ambassador Butenis wrote \u201cWickremesinghe asserted that if the current government won the national elections, political freedom would be fewer, that there would be unrest in the north, that the government\u2019s inaction to develop new industries would leave the country economically disadvantaged, and that the gap between the elite and the poor would grow larger.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The pair discussed a wide range of issues, including IDPs, the soon \u2013 to be released report to Congress on incidents during the recent conflict, and the results from the recent southern provincial elections. \u201cWickremesinghe expressed concern that the government\u2019s attempts to colonize historically Tamil areas could aggravate ethnic tensions. He suggested congressional hearings after the release of the report could help ease the GSL\u2019s frustrations and serve as an outlet for dissenting opinions. He also said that the UNP while not happy with its own showing, was pleased that the UPFA did not achieve its goal of an 80 percent majority in the recent southern provincial elections.\u201d the ambassador wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Read the full confidential US diplomatic cable below;<\/p>\n<pre>VZCZCXRO3454\nOO RUEHBI\nDE RUEHLM #0957\/01 2921302\nZNY CCCCC ZZH\nO 191302Z OCT 09\nFM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO\nTO RUEHC\/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0630\nINFO RUEHKA\/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1952\nRUEHIL\/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 8988\nRUEHKT\/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7226\nRUEHLO\/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5161\nRUEHNE\/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3370\nRUEHNY\/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 5117\nRUEHOT\/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1394\nRUEHSM\/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0652\nRUEHKO\/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4228\nRUEHCG\/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9549\nRUEHBI\/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 6849\nRUEHON\/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 1323\nRHEFDIA\/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY\nRUEHGV\/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3775\nRHHMUNA\/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY\nRUEHBS\/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY\nRHEHAAA\/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY\nRUEKJCS\/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY\nC O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000957\n\nSIPDIS\n\nDEPARTMENT FOR SCA\/INSB\n\nE.O. 12958: DECL: 10\/13\/2019\nTAGS: <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/PGOV_0.html\">PGOV<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/PREL_0.html\">PREL<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/PREF_0.html\">PREF<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/PHUM_0.html\">PHUM<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/PTER_0.html\">PTER<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/EAID_0.html\">EAID<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/MOPS_0.html\">MOPS<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/tag\/CE_0.html\">CE<\/a>\nSUBJECT: UNP LEADER DOWNBEAT BUT UNBOWED\n\nClassified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA A. BUTENIS.  REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)\n\n<a id=\"par1\" href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/cable\/2009\/10\/09COLOMBO957.html#par1\">\u00b6<\/a>1. (C) SUMMARY: In an October 13 courtesy call by the\nAmbassador, main opposition United National Party (UNP)\nleader Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed a wide range of issues,\nincluding IDPs, the soon-to-be released report to Congress on\nincidents during the recent conflict, and the results from\nthe recent southern provincial elections. Wickremesinghe\nexpressed concern that the government's attempts to colonize\nhistorically Tamil areas could aggravate ethnic tensions. He\nsuggested congressional hearings after the release of the\nreport could help ease the GSL's frustrations and serve as an\noutlet for dissenting opinions. He also said that the UNP,\nwhile not happy with its own showing,was pleased that the\nUPFA did not achieve its goal of an 80 percent majority in\nthe recent southern provincial elections. END SUMMARY.\n\n------------------------\nUNP Concerned About IDPs\n------------------------\n<a id=\"par2\" href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/cable\/2009\/10\/09COLOMBO957.html#par2\">\u00b6<\/a>2. (C) This was the Ambassador's first meeting with the main\nopposition party leader. They discussed a wide range of\nissues. Wickremesinghe expressed concern for the IDPs\ninterned in camps in the north and suggested that the\ngovernment formally detain suspected LTTE cadres and step up\nthe return of other IDPs. He also suggested that the\ngovernment amend its law so that it would be in synch with UN\nguidelines, thus legalizing the government's continued\ndetention of the IDPs. Wickremesinghe expressed frustration\nwith the government,s refusal to allow members of parliament\nto visit the camps, saying that he understood the\ngovernment's refusal to allow access to detainees but not\nIDPs. He suggested that the government wanted to resettle\nSinhalese in the Vanni, but the lack of schools and\ninfrastructure would make it difficult. He asserted that the\ngovernment could exacerbate ethnic tensions if it eventually\nsucceeded in changing the Vanni's historically Tamil\ndemography.\n\n----------------------------------------\nTaking the Sting Out of the S\/WCI Report\n----------------------------------------\n\n<a id=\"par3\" href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/cable\/2009\/10\/09COLOMBO957.html#par3\">\u00b6<\/a>3. (C) Wickremesinghe suggested the upcoming report to\nCongress had been met with silence thus far from the Tamil\nparties because their priority was IDPs. When the Ambassador\nasked him what he viewed as the next step after submission of\nthe report, Wickremesinghe suggested congressional hearings,\nin which GSL representatives would have the opportunity to\ntestify, would \"take the sting out\" of the report and provide\nthe government the opportunity to make its case heard.\n\n--------------------------------------------- ----------\nUNP: Current Political Climate Hurts Political Freedoms\n--------------------------------------------- ----------\n\n<a id=\"par4\" href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/cable\/2009\/10\/09COLOMBO957.html#par4\">\u00b6<\/a>4. (C) On the recent southern provincial election results,\nWickremesinghe offered that the UNP knew it was not going to\nwin but was pleased that the UPFA did not do as well as it\nhad hoped. He also cited access to the media as a hindrance\nto the UNP's campaign and pointed to General Sarath Fonseka's\nweekend speech, which was censored or unaired by several\nmedia organizations, as an example of the country's dwindling\nrespect for free press. (Note:  The speech was carried in a\nleading english-language paper on October 18.)\nWickremesinghe asserted that if the current government won\nthe national elections, political freedoms would be fewer,\nthat there would be unrest in the north, that the\ngovernment's inaction to develop new industries would leave\nthe country economically disadvantaged, and that the gap\nbetween the elite and the poor would grow larger.\n\nCOLOMBO 00000957  002 OF 002\n\n<a id=\"par5\" href=\"http:\/\/wikileaks.org\/cable\/2009\/10\/09COLOMBO957.html#par5\">\u00b6<\/a>5. (C) COMMENT: Wickremesinghe appeared to be in control of\nhis party and remains the central figure in the UNP. But his\ncautious statements and reluctance to deviate from standard\nUNP talking points may be Wickremesinghe's response to\ninternal UNP questioning of his leadership.\nBUTENIS<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53,1,8,27],"tags":[1143,1139,1208,1161,1134,1185,1262,1257,1150,1246,1263],"class_list":["post-710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-politics","category-news","category-editorial","category-wikileaks","tag-authoritarianism","tag-democracy","tag-election-monitoring","tag-foreign-affairs","tag-human-rights","tag-patricia-a-butenis","tag-ranil-wickremesinghe-in-wikileaks","tag-sarath-fonseka-in-wikileaks","tag-tamils","tag-unp","tag-us-embassy-cables-on-sri-lanka"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - 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