WikiLeaks: Tamil Diaspora Is In Danger Of Becoming More Radicalized – Blake
April 3, 2014
“In a luncheon discussion with Co-Chair Ambassadors and the Acting Indian High Commissioner on November 14 Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Special Envoy Paul Murphy exchanged views on how the Northern Ireland peace process might be relevant for the Sri Lankan context. Murphy was the cabinet minister responsible for Northern Irish Affairs between 2002 and 2005, and was closely involved in the Northern Ireland peace process. He noted that while there are some important lessons that Sri Lanka can draw from the Northern Ireland experience, both sides must be convinced there can be no military solution and both must be committed to a cease-fire, neither of which is now the case in Sri Lanka.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
Robert O. Blake
The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable is classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and recounts details of a meeting US Ambassador to Colombo has had with British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Special Envoy Paul Murphy on November 14, 2006. The cable was written by the US Ambassador to Colombo,Robert O. Blake.
The ambassador wrote; “Everyone agreed that the Irish-American Diaspora played an important role in Northern Ireland. In Sri Lanka’s case, however, the Tamil Diaspora is much more diffuse in that Tamils live in many countries, and has no clear leadership that can speak for them. Therefore, it is harder to influence the community as a whole or to get them to speak with one voice. We also agreed that if anything the Tamil Diaspora is in danger of becoming more radicalized as a result of the deteriorating military and humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka.”
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