Monday, 24 August 2009, 13:34
S E C R E T COLOMBO 000830
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB
EO 12958 DECL: 08/23/2019
TAGS PGOV, PREL, PREF, PHUM, EAID, MOPS, CE
SUBJECT: DOCTORS FROM NO-FIRE ZONE RELEASED ON BAIL
REF: COLOMBO 695
Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JAMES R. MOORE. REASONS: 1.4
(B, D)

¶1. (S) Four government doctors, held by the police Criminal
Investigation Division (CID) since the end of the war in May
for allegedly filing false reports on civilian casualties in
the No-Fire Zone during the last several months of the war,
were released on bail today. XXXXX

¶2. (S) The doctors XXXXX had been pressured to give the
press conference held in early July (reftel), where they
recanted all the statements they had made from the No-Fire
Zone. They said they were heavily coached for the press
conference, given specific lines to say, and even practiced
with several members of the local media beforehand. They said
they XXXXX had not lied when giving their original statements
during the war.

¶3. XXXXX.

¶4. XXXXX

¶5. (S) Comment: The release of the four doctors is a
welcome step by the GSL, but clearly they remain under
investigation by the CID and now also are potentially under
threat of abduction or extrajudicial killing. Post will
continue to monitor the situation very closely, but for now
the doctors appear to want to maintain as low a profile as
possible, without undue attention brought to them either in
Sri Lanka or internationally. End Comment. MOORE