Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 03:23
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000830
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
 XXXXX
EO 12958 DECL: 06/11/2017
TAGS PTER, PHUM, MOPS, PGOV, CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TAMIL TIGERS SIPHON 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 XXXXX 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 XXXXX. XXXXX 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 XXXXX private organization
that provides assistance to refugees. XXXXX described the
LTTE's "one person per family" forced conscription program.
XXXXX 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. XXXXX
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) XXXXX noted that the average age of LTTE "recruits"
is now 17 years old. He confirmed, however, XXXXX 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) XXXXX accused the SLMM of turning a blind eye to
LTTE forced conscription of Tamil citizens living in the
Vanni. XXXXX said XXXXX told XXXXX 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 Sri Lanka if their
children do not return from jobs abroad, such as in the
Persian Gulf, to take up arms.

TRO FUNDING LTTE OPERATIONS
---------------------------

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¶6. (S) XXXXX 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, XXXXX 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 XXXXX is funding with
that donation. XXXXX 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) XXXXX said that XXXXX 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 XXXXX, the UN provides funding to international
voluntary organizations,XXXXX who then comply with the LTTE's
funding demands, thus providing XXXXX with a measure of
distance and "plausible deniability." XXXXX stated that in
addition to XXXXX, XXXXX of the XXXXX organizations XXXXX
operating in the Vanni are complying with the LTTE
procedures. XXXXX

¶8. (C) One June 8, Emboffs met with XXXXX. XXXXX stated
that UNCHR did not work through TRO representatives in the
Vanni, but could not say whether INGOs did so. XXXXX
confirmed that although the UN does not work through the TRO,
it does provide some funding to Is and local NGOs. XXXXX
stated that he was aware of times when XXXXX 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. XXXXX 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 XXXXX 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 XXXXX, 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. XXXXX anecdotal evidence of TRO
serving as a conduit to channel funds to the LTTE strikes us
as authentic. Although Post was unable to confirm XXXXX
allegations with the same level of detail that XXXXX
described, XXXXX and XXXXX both acknowledged that XXXXX

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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