From: <a href="http://www.aftenposten.no/spesial/wikileaksdokumenter/article3954356.ece">Aftenposten</a><br>
Date: 4.11.2003

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11/4/2003 12:04
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 001902
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR D, SA, SA/INS, S/CT, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/NEA/SA;
NSC FOR E. MILLARD PLEASE ALSO PASS TOPEC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11-04-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PREL, ASEC, MOPS, CASC, CE, NO, Political Parties, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT: Provoking political crisis, President fires 
three key ministers and suspends Parliament
Refs: (A) Colombo-Ops Center 11/04/2003 telecons
- (B) Colombo 1893, and previous
(U) Classified by Chargeī dīAffaires James F. Entwistle. Reasons 1.5 (b,d).

1. (C)
SUMMARY: In a sudden move, President Kumaratunga has fired the
ministers of defense, interior, and mass communications citing
concerns over the "deterioration of the security situation."
Late in the day, the President also suspended Parliament until
November 19. The PM is in Washington and his office just sent
us a statement strongly opposing her moves. Colombo appears
quiet as of late November 4.  The Presidentīs action
highlights her volatility and sets the table for a serious
political crisis with unknown implications for the peace
process. END SUMMARY.

2. (C)
PRESIDENT FIRES MINISTERS: In a sudden announcement made
mid-day November 4 while Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was in
Washington, President Kumaratunga sacked the ministers of
defense, interior, and mass communications. The President also
fired the secretaries (second-in-commands) in the ministries of

SIPDIS

defense and mass communications, but spared the secretary of
the interior ministry. In a conversation

SIPDIS
 
with the Chargeī, Harim Peiris, press spokesman for the
President, confirmed reports that the President would
personally take over the three ministerial portfolios left
vacant by the firings.  Peiris, who has been named by the
President to be the new Secretary in the Mass Communications
Ministry, added that the ministers in question could retain
other portfolios that they had had, e.g., John Amaratunga of
the Interior Ministry was still the Minister of Christian
Affairs.

3. (C)
SUSPENSION OF PARLIAMENT: Late in the day, the President also
suspended Parliament until November 19.  Harim Peiris told the
Chargeī that rumors that the President planned to declare a
"State of Emergency" were not true.

4. (C)
PRESIDENTīS RATIONALE VAGUE: The Presidentīs rationale for the
sudden firing of the ministers was vague. In a brief written
statement announcing her move, the Presidentīs Office
commented: "This step has been taken after careful
consideration, in order to prevent further deterioration of
the security situation in the country. The reasons for this
action will be made known to the public in due course."
Dr. Sarath Amunugama, a senior MP in the Presidentīs People
Alliance (PA) party, told Pol FSN that the President will
issue a more detailed statement and perhaps go on television
late November 4 to explain her move. We later heard that she
might make a statement as late as November 5.

5. (C)
PMīS STATEMENT: The UNP government appears to have been caught
completely off guard by the Presidentīs sudden move, although
there has been speculation that the President might "try
something" in conjunction with the mid-November budget debate
in Parliament (see Ref B). For much of the day, there was no
reaction by the government to her move. Late November 4,
however, Mission received the following statement on official
stationery in the name of Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, who
is in Washington, rejecting the Presidentīs move: Begin text:
Prime Ministerīs Office Whilst being out of the country on an
important visit to the United States, a co-chair of the donor
community, in furtherance of Sri Lankaīs peace process and
economic development, I have learnt that the President, Her
Excellency Chandrika Kumaratunaga has precipitated a national
crisis in an attempt to subvert the mandate given to my
government by the people on December 5, 2001 and reinforced in
March 2002 at the local authority elections.  Your government
will not be deviated from the mandate given it by the people
to pursue the path of peace, security and economic prosperity
due to the irresponsible and precipitous actions of the
President aimed at plunging the country into chaos and
anarchy.  I pledge to you the people, your government will not
allow this desperate and irresponsible attempt to undermine
the peace process and economic prosperity of the people to
succeed.  I remain resolute in implementing the mandate of the
people for peace, democracy and prosperity with the fullest
support and continued confidence of the international
community.  It is blatantly obvious that these opportunistic
actions are timed to deprive the people of the economic and
social benefits that they are on the verge of reaping as a
result of the solid foundations laid by your government over
the last two years.  Be rest assured I will continue my
mission for the people undeterred and conclude my crucial
program in Washington D.C., including the meeting with
president George W. Bush, which is part of the ongoing process
of consolidating the peace, unity and economic prosperity of
all our people.  I therefore call upon all of you, the people,
the armed forces, police and public service to remain calm and
vigilant in the face of this deliberate attempt of endanger
the peace process which we will together overcome.  04th
November 2003 End text.

6. (C)
OBSERVERS PREDICT "COHABITATION WARFARE": In discussions with
polchief, two well-informed observers of the local political
scene said they thought the President probably has the right
to fire the ministers per the Sri Lankan Constitution. Kethesh
Loganathan, an analyst at the Center for Policy Alternatives
(CPA), a local think-tank, said the Constitution is written in
such a way that almost all executive powers reside in the
hands of the presidency, including membership in the
Cabinet. In any case, he noted, the President would probably
win if the issue is brought to the courts because the Supreme
Court and especially Chief Justice Sarath Silva are allies of
the PA and would probably back her. All that said, Loganathan
predicted that the Presidentīs action would spark "bitter
cohabitation warfare" because "the UNP will not take this
lying down." Jehan Perera, the media director at the National
Peace Council, another local think-tank, agreed, remarking
that the UNP might be so angry as to take the matter to the
streets.

7. (SBU)
COLOMBO QUIET: Colombo appears quiet and normal as of late
November 4. RSO continues to monitor the situation. Reportedly
on the orders of the President, the military has deployed
around the headquarters of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting
Corporation (SLBC) and the governmentīs printing press. We see
no need for a change to our consular travel advisory at this
point. The DATT is in touch with military counterparts
regarding the implications of the defense ministry changes on
a number of U.S. military cooperation activities under way at
the moment.

8. (C)
COMMENT: The Presidentīs action highlights her increasing
volatility. As reported (see Ref B), her recent track record
has involved lashing out routinely at the PM and other targets
of her displeasure. While her previous outbursts were mere
darts aimed at the GSL, this latest step, unfortunately, sets
the table for a serious political crisis and seems timed to
ensure maximum embarrassment for the PM in Washington on the
eve of his Oval Office meeting. It is not clear where the
epicenter of the crisis will be, but it seems that the UNP
might well take steps to try to impeach the President and
perhaps the Chief Justice (when Parliament comes back into
session). The UNP also appears to have a significant amount of
popular support due to its peace process initiative and it
could well bring out its supporters in protest. Given the
swirl of events, fresh elections are also possible. The PMīs
statement above indicates that his government plans to fight
back hard.

9. (C)
COMMENT (Continued): Implications for the peace process and
the planned restart of talks focused on the Tigersī just
released counterproposals are unknown. For their part, the
Tigers are very aware of what is happening: their website,
"TamilNet," is posting regular updates on the situation in
Colombo. In the past, the group has cited concerns about the
situation in the south as a reason for not moving forward
along the peace track. END COMMENT.

10. (U) Minimize considered.

ENTWISTLE
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