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### Viewing cable 09VANCOUVER244, CANADIANS DETAIN SHIPLOAD OF TAMILS

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09VANCOUVER244 | 2009-10-22 03:22 | 2011-05-20 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Consulate Vancouver

`

    VZCZCXRO6550
    PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU
    DE RUEHVC #0244/01 2950322
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 220322Z OCT 09
    FM AMCONSUL VANCOUVER
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5331
    INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
    RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
    RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 0002
    RUEHVC/AMCONSUL VANCOUVER 7916

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VANCOUVER 000244

    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR WHA/CAN

    E.O. 12958: DECL:  10/21/2019
    TAGS: CA PGOV PHUM PREF CE PTER
    SUBJECT: CANADIANS DETAIN SHIPLOAD OF TAMILS

    VANCOUVER 00000244  001.2 OF 002

    CLASSIFIED BY: G. Kathleen Hill, Political/Economic Chief, US
    Consulate Vancouver, State.
    REASON: 1.4 (b), (d)
    ¶1. (C) Summary: The Canadian Navy and Customs and Border Service
    Agency (CBSA) officials stopped and detained an aging freighter
    attempting to transport 76 men, mostly Tamils, into Canada.  The
    action took place on October 17, although the vessel had been
    tracked from earlier in the week thanks to some foreign
    intelligence reporting.  Indications are most of the migrants
    are ethnic Tamils, although there may be other ethnic groups
    represented.  Press reports the passengers paid Cdn $45,000 each
    for the trip from South Asia.  The vessel is thought to be one
    of four managed by known Indonesian human smuggler Abraham
    Lauhenapessy.  RCMP sources have informed us they have reason to
    believe this vessel was funded by the Tamil Tigers and are
    attempting to establish whether any of the men on board have
    ties to that terrorist organization.  At the same time, the
    Canadian Government is publicly trying to maintain a balanced
    approach that emphasizes fair treatment while not appearing too
    lenient toward potential terrorists. End Summary.

    ¶2. (C) Canadian forces began tracking the vessel "Ocean Lady" on
    October 14 but press reports indicate the Canadians received
    tips about the voyage from foreign intelligence, most likely
    Australian, prior to locating the vessel itself. According to
    Canadian Navy contacts, the frigate HMCS Regina was sent out
    late on the 14th from Victoria to follow the Ocean Lady, but the
    vessel did not enter Canadian waters until October 17, at which
    point CBSA officials boarded the ship.  CBSA officers found no
    documentation on the ship to say who operated the ship and none
    of the passengers claimed to be a member of the crew.  All the
    passengers are male, between the ages of 17 and 45 and only a
    few were carrying identification.  The ship was brought to port
    near Victoria and the 76 men were transported to a detention
    facility in the Vancouver area.  The CBSA and Royal Canadian
    Mounted Police (RCMP) are jointly interviewing the men.  All the
    detainees have been fingerprinted and photographed and an
    initial list of names and birthdates has been passed to U.S. ICE
    officials in Ottawa and Vancouver for assistance in verifying
    identifications.

    ¶3. (C) Canadian Immigration Minister Kenney voiced concern about
    "unconditionally embracing" the detainees as refugees and
    creating a "perverse incentive" for further dangerous attempts
    to enter Canada illegally.  The Canadian Tamil Congress and
    other groups, such as No One Is Illegal, are strongly advocating
    refugee status for all of the detainees, stating all Tamils are
    subject to persecution in Sri Lanka.  Per the Canadian
    Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, an individual must first
    formally file a refugee claim before being considered for status
    in Canada.  Two detainees have already claimed refugee status
    and had initial hearings.  These first claims are being reviewed
    but the Immigration Board denied them release because of fears
    they would disappear. CBSA expects further claims to be filed
    and all detainees have had access to legal counsel.  Minister
    Kenney has stated that all claims will be given a fair screening
    for admissibility, whether or not Tamil Tiger ties are
    suspected, but that a key factor is whether the claimants
    present a security risk to Canada and Canadian citizens.
    Sources told us that other Canadian security agencies interested
    in the detainees had been barred from fully participating in the
    early screening process while CBSA conducted the initial
    interviews. The effort of processing so many undocumented
    migrants has strained resources.  Several units from RCMP and
    CBSA have been pulled out of scheduled Olympics-related security
    exercises to deal with the detainees.

    ¶4. (C) A source in the RCMP, who is himself ethnic Tamil and was
    called in to help with the interviews, told us that some of the
    men were claiming to be Tamil, while some were claiming to be
    Singalese.  He believed that most are in fact Tamil but a few
    may not be from Sri Lanka at all.  Canadian security authorities
    are highly suspicious of the group.  According to sources, the
    ship, although it looked like a derelict form the outside, was
    well-appointed on the inside, complete with a fully-equipped gym
    and kitchen.  The men's excellent physical condition and the
    fact they are all of military age increases the suspicion of
    Tamil Tiger ties. Press reports state the men paid Cdn $45,000
    each for the voyage to Canada.  According to a Tamil Congress
    spokesman, the average salary in Sri Lanka is Cdn $1,200 a year.
     RCMP and CBSA are attempting to discover how these men raised
    such funding and whether they had help from the Tigers.

    ¶5. (C) Comment:  The Canadian government is proceeding with
    extreme caution in processing these detainees.  In 1999, three
    ships loaded with Chinese migrants made their way to Canadian
    shores.  Many of the detainees spent years in detention as their
    cases were processed.  Several hundred were released and
    disappeared, presumably into the U.S. as illegal immigrants.  In
    the end most of the remainder were sent back and only a handful
    were granted refugee status. In the end the GOC was highly
    criticized from all sides for poor handling of the Chinese

    VANCOUVER 00000244  002.2 OF 002

    migrants.  The GOC is determined this time to demonstrate
    transparent, fair and efficient processing.  The balanced
    approach is strained, however, by the conflict between the
    suspected role of the Tamil Tigers, a group classified as a
    terrorist organization by the GOC, and the loud voice of the
    250,000-strong Tamil community in Canada. End Comment.
    CHICOLA

`