Engage To Hold Rajapaksa To His Promises On 13A

WikiLeaks: US, UN And Chiefs Of Missions Decide To Forcefully Engage To Hold Rajapaksa To His Promises On 13A

July 1, 2013

“After the parliamentary elections on April 8, we immediately and forcefully should re-engage to remind President Rajapaksa to his promises on reconciliation, the 13th Amendment, and re-development in the north and east. The president long has told us to wait until after elections then he would undertake these big projects. We must keep him to these promises.”  the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Butenis

The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The ‘confidential’ cable recounts the details of a meeting the US Embassy had with chiefs of missions ( COMs) in Colombo. The cable was written on February 26, 2010  by the US Ambassador to Colombo, Patricia A. Butenis.

Ambassador Butenis wrote; “On February 25, Ambassador followed up reftel demarche to select capitals with a meeting with COMs of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland, plus the EU and UN, to discuss the current situation in Sri Lanka and gather thoughts on the way ahead. The meeting began with the Australian high commissioner and French ambassador recounting recent meetings with President Rajapaksa. High Commissioner Klugman — who accompanied Australian Special Representative for Sri Lanka John McCarthy to see the president — said he appeared comfortable, relaxed, and positive, saying “all the right things” on such topics as national reconciliation and — unprompted — the de-centralizing 13th Amendment, though emphasizing that these processes could only move forward after the April 8 parliamentary elections. He emphasized that economic reconstruction and development would be top priorities: “There can be no peace without development,” he said, “and there can be no development without peace.” Newly arrived French Ambassador Robichon recounted similar remarks from the president at her recent credentialing ceremony, noting that he also had spoken of de-linking the northern and eastern provinces.”

“COMs were unsure whether the recent political crackdown was temporary or indicated a new style of leadership by the Rajapaksa regime, though it appeared the Rajapaksas were set on a more authoritarian course. COMs made several recommendations for the way ahead including: — Refrain from active public engagement — especially in the press — with the government of Sri Lanka (GSL) until after parliamentary elections April 8. — At the same time, we should be prepared to hit the GSL hard privately or publicly if it moved forward with persecution of NGOs and INGOs. — After the parliamentary elections, we immediately and forcefully should re-engage to hold President Rajapaksa to his promises on reconciliation, the 13th Amendment, and economic development in the north and east. — In capitals, governments should encourage Tamil diasporas to renounce separatism and militancy, to find ways to make constructive contributions to economic re-development and political reconciliation, and to engage as far as possible with the GSL.” Butenis wrote.

Read the cable below for further details;

TNA decides not to participate

SUNDAY, 30 JUNE 2013

The Tamil National Alliance on Saturday decided not to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to resolve the national problem, a party official said.

“The party has decided this evening (Saturday) not to take part in the PSC,” TNA Leader R. Sampanthan told Daily Mirror online.

Meanwhile, TNA legislator, Suresh Premachandran told PTI news agency that his party has decided to skip the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) proceedings, which is expected to get underway on July 9.

"The aim of the PSC is to dilute the powers of the 13A. We can't agree to that. We want 13 plus," Premachandran said.

The PSC has been convened to look at powers of the 13A, more pointedly to strip the provincial councils of land and police powers, he said.

Sri Lanka on June 21 announced the formation of the 19-member government team of the PSC to discuss the issue of the thirteenth amendment to its Constitution that devolves some authority to the provinces.

Preceding the PSC is the government move to amend two sections of the 13A. They seek to scrap the ability to merge two or more provinces to form one, Premachandran said.(HF)