LTTE siphon off int. relief funds, SLMM turning blind eye to forced conscription – Blake
December 17, 2010 07:30 am
In another controversial Wikileaks cable released today dated 12 June 2007, the then US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake had reported back to the US on how the LTTE was siphoning part of international relief funds through the TRO. Blake also highlights how the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission(SLMM) turned a blind eye to LTTE forced conscription of Tamil citizens.
“In late May PolOff met the XXXXXXXXXXXX described the LTTE’s complete control of all activities that take place in Tiger-controlled territory, including forced conscription and the use of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) to extract money from INGOs. XXXXXXXXXXXX also criticized the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission’s (SLMM) complacency in the face of coercive techniques the LTTE employs to maintain control of its northern stronghold. On June 8, after meetings with representatives from UNICEF, UNHCR and the World Food Program to discuss how these organizations fund projects operating in the Vanni, Emboffs confirmed that in some circumstances INGOs are required to work with TRO to accomplish their project goals.”
Full Cable;
Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 03:23
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000830
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
XXXXXXXXXXXX
EO
12958 DECL:
06/11/2017
TAGS PTER, PHUM, MOPS, PGOV,CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TAMIL TIGERSSIPHON OFF PART OF
INTERNATIONAL RELIEF FUNDS
Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d).
1. (S) SUMMARY: In late May PolOff met the XXXXXXXXXXXX described the
LTTE’s complete control of all activities that take place in Tiger-controlled
territory, including forced conscription and the use of the Tamil
Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) to extract money from INGOs.
XXXXXXXXXXXX also criticized the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission’s (SLMM)
complacency in the face of coercive techniques the LTTE employs to maintain
control of its northern stronghold. On June 8, after meetings with
representatives from UNICEF, UNHCR and the World Food Program to discuss how
these organizations fund projects operating in the Vanni, Emboffs confirmed
that in some circumstances INGOs are required to work with TRO to accomplish
their project goals. END SUMMARY.
FORCED CONSCRIPTION
-------------------
2. (C) On May 21, PolOff met XXXXXXXXXXXX private organization that provides
assistance to refugees. XXXXXXXXXXXX described the LTTE’s “one person per
family” forced conscription program. XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that the Tigers
require at least one person between the ages of 18 and 35 per family to fight
for the LTTE, apparently believing that if the “draftees” are at least 18 years
old, the international community cannot criticize the Tigers for requiring
military service. XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that the LTTE provides written
notice to draftees with orders to report to a particular military office for
service. If they fail to report, they are taken forcibly, often at night.
3. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX noted that the average age of LTTE “recruits” is now 17
years old. He confirmed, however, XXXXXXXXXXXX allegation of forced
conscription of those 17 years old and older, stating that if a person failed
to leave the Vanni before he or she turned 17, there was an extremely high
likelihood of being drafted by the Tigers.
4. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX accused the SLMM of turning a blind eye to LTTE forced
conscription of Tamil citizens living in the Vanni. XXXXXXXXXXXX said
XXXXXXXXXXXX told XXXXXXXXXXXX that “all countries are entitled to institute
the draft to protect their borders.”
5. (C) We have received other credible reports of even more draconian
conscription methods used by the Tigers. Some families are reportedly being
told to provide two recruits as the LTTE prepares for war. The Tigers may
threaten families living in the Vanni or elsewhere in
TRO FUNDING LTTE OPERATIONS
---------------------------
6. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX told us the LTTE had ordered INGOs to provide all
project funding through local NGOs, which are managed collectively by the Tamil
Rehabilitation Organization (TRO). For example, XXXXXXXXXXXX receives money in
its bank account from its headquarters or from international donors, then
deposits the money into a separate bank account operated by a local NGO. The
local NGO’s director is always a member of TRO, as are many other members of the
local NGO staff. The TRO representative withdraws the money from the local NGO’s
account, provides a cut to the LTTE, and distributes the rest to accomplish the
particular project XXXXXXXXXXXX is funding with that donation.
XXXXXXXXXXXX then oversees the implementation of the program, but does not
control any distribution of funds after they are transferred into the local NGO’s
account.
7. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX said that XXXXXXXXXXXX alleges that it does not comply
with the LTTE’s funding demands, but in reality, it does comply by removing its
funding one additional step. According to XXXXXXXXXXXX, the UN provides funding
to international voluntary organizations,XXXXXXXXXXXX who then comply with the
LTTE’s funding demands, thus providing XXXXXXXXXXXX with a measure of distance
and “plausible deniability.” XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that in addition to
XXXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXXXXXX of the XXXXXXXXXXXX organizations XXXXXXXXXXXX
operating in the Vanni are complying with the LTTE procedures. XXXXXXXXXXXX
8. (C) One June 8, Emboffs met with XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that
UNCHR did not work through TRO representatives in the Vanni, but could not say
whether INGOs did so. XXXXXXXXXXXX confirmed that although the UN does not work
through the TRO, it does provide some funding to Is and local NGOs.
XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that he was aware of times when XXXXXXXXXXXX were asked to
work with local program managers who are likely representatives of the LTTE,
but he was unsure whether this requirement extended to funding arrangements.
XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that the LTTE needs food supplies so badly that the WFP has
successfully rebuffed LTTE attempts to levy taxes on items brought into the
Vanni. He added that although the WFP does not provide financial assistance to
the Tigers, he knows that several XXXXXXXXXXXX are required to provide
financial resources to the LTTE through the TRO in order to accomplish their
objectives in the Vanni.
9. (S) COMMENT: According to XXXXXXXXXXXX, other organizations have not
complained about LTTE interference in their operations because they suffer from
“a blinding case of clientitis.” However, one could also argue that amounts to
a simple acceptance of the realities of working in LTTE-controlled territory.
XXXXXXXXXXXX anecdotal evidence of TRO serving as a conduit to channel funds to
the LTTE strikes us as authentic. Although Post was unable to confirm
XXXXXXXXXXXX allegations with the same level of detail that XXXXXXXXXXXX
described, XXXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXXX both acknowledged that XXXXXXXXXXXX
have at least some involvement with the LTTE through the TRO. Our sense is that the money derived from these charities probably goes to fund the LTTE administration in the territory it occupies, rather than arms purchases. The LTTE’s internal revenues are likely minuscule compared with what it raises abroad from the Tamil Diaspora. It is probably these overseas revenues that are used to purchase arms for import into the Vanni. BLAKE