WikiLeaks: Installing Criminal Devananda As The Head Of A ‘Quisling’ Tamil Regime

May 2, 2013-Douglas and Rajapaksa

“The leader of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EDPD), Douglas Devananda, has a long history of enmity with the recently defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He has been a favorite of successive Sri Lankan governments in Colombo. But Devananda has a violent and even criminal history, and shows few signs of reforming. While close ties continue between the top levels of the GSL and Devananda, we may be seeing an adjustment to that relationship as “Colonel Karuna” continues to strengthen his position with President Rajapaksa and his powerful brother, Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa, possibly at Devananda’s expense. The GSL may attempt to install Devananda as the leader of a new provincial government in the North through early elections there, or as the head of an interim administration.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

The US Embassy wrote; “This would help the government to maintain its iron grip on Jaffna and the North, but also might tend to pin down Devananda and his paramilitary forces, leaving Karuna a freer hand in the rest of Sri Lanka. The Rajapaksas may be trying to clear the way for Karuna and his paramilitary cadres to become the undisputed nationalforce for unofficial internal control of the Tamil population. However, Devananda still enjoys a privileged position within the GSL, as evidenced by a meeting the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the U.S. insisted on arranging with Representative Heath Shuler during the latter’s recent visit to Sri Lanka. Absent any indication that Devananda has sworn off his violent tactics, Embassy has privately pushed the Sri Lankan government not to install a Devananda-led regime in the north. In light of Devananda’s lack of legitimate popular support, we remain concerned that local or provincial-level elections held hastily in the North could be manipulated to put Devananda and the EPDP into power at the expense of legitimate Tamil representatives, thereby undermining the post-conflict reconciliation process.”

The Colombo Telegraph found the leaked cable from the WikiLeak database. The classified  “CONFIDENTIAL” cable was written on June 19, 2009 and signed by Charge D’Affaires James R. Moore.

Moore wrote; “Further, placing Devananda in power in the North might serve to preoccupy him with events and operations there, clearing the way for Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, a/k/a ‘Colonel Karuna Amman’ to further solidify his position country-wide. The Ministry of Defense, especially the President’s powerful brother, Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa, appears to strongly prefer former TMVP leader Karuna – now a member of the President’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) – as his go-to man for both Tamil politics and ‘unofficial’ security operations. Embassy contacts report the Rajapaksa brothers have recently shown a clear preference for Karuna over Devananda. The President recently elevated Karuna to Minister for National Integration. However, Karuna has yet to develop popular backing in the North, since he is an Easterner, whose Tamil dialect and traditions are distinctly different from the Tamils of Jaffna and the Vanni.”

Placing a comment Moore wrote; “It is still unclear what the field of competing parties will be during the next cycle of local and provincial elections in the North – and which candidates will dare stand against the EPDP. The UNP complained on June 15th of “armed groups” threatening its candidates in an attempt to prevent them from contesting the Jaffna Municipal Council and Vavuniya Urban Council elections in August. It comes as no surprise, however, that the end of regular combat between GSL forces and the LTTE would lead to a turf battle between the GSL’s disparate ethnic Tamil allies. Post has been extremely candid in private discussions with the GSL leadership concerning our reservations about a significant role for Devananda in a new administration for the North. In our assessment, it is unlikely he has much legitimate popular support. We have brushed aside past suggestions that we fund the organizations he sponsors. We have told senior interlocutors (including Devananda himself) that the violence of its armed wing’s tactics and the continuing criminal activities of EPDP cadres in Jaffna and Colombo would pose serious obstacles to U.S. cooperation with a provincial government led by him, or working in conjunction with an EPDP-led northern administration on reconstruction efforts. There are some recent signs that the GSL leadership, concerned about losing international assistance for the north, may be having second thoughts about installing Devananda as the head of a “quisling” Tamil regime.”

Read the cable below for further details;

Japan Builds Sri Lanka Ties With Aso Visit as China Clout Grows

By Anusha Ondaatjie - May 1, 2013 

Japan and Sri Lanka will hold their second high-level talks in less than two months as the East Asian nation seeks to safeguard ties and counter China’s growing influence on an island lying on key maritime routes.

Finance Minister Taro Aso is due to discuss bilateral ties with the island’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa today, according to an Embassy of Japan statement. He will also visit Sri Lanka’s main port in Colombo, which has been expanded with $800 million of Japanese assistance.

Rajapaksa has lured investment from China, Japan and India as he capitalizes on the end of Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war to build a trade gateway to emerging markets. China has tightened its embrace by committing at least $3.7 billion since 2005 for projects from ports to a power plant, on an island that has attracted the world’s dominant nations since the 16th century for its access to pivotal sea links.

“Japan may be trying to counter China’s influence on Asia, while also diversifying its investments,” said Bimanee Meepagala, an analyst at NDB Aviva Wealth Management Ltd. in Colombo, the island’s largest private fund. “For Sri Lanka, it’s new sources for tapping funds, and who it can align itself with.”

Rajapaksa met Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in March in Japan. Sri Lanka has the potential to be a regional maritime hub and would play a “crucial” international role, the leaders said in their joint statement then.

Abe also thanked the president for welcoming port calls by Japan’s maritime self-defense force vessels engaged in anti- piracy operations, according to the statement.

Rajapaksa, whose armed forces defeated separatist rebels in May 2009, is seeking to take advantage of Sri Lanka’s position 31 kilometers (19 miles) off India’s southern coast. There lie the main shipping lanes connecting the Far East, West Asia, Africa and Europe.

The tropical nation’s strategic location led to colonization by the Portuguese, Dutch and British until independence in 1948.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anusha Ondaatjie in Colombo at anushao@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephanie Phang at sphang@bloomberg.net