CEYLON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R001100100159-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 11, 2008
• Sequence Number: 159
• Publication Date: April 8, 1971
• Content Type: IM

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64
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of intelligence'
8 April 1971
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
CEYLON
(Situation as of 1300 EST)
State Dept. review
ELSEWHERE IN THIS GENERAL AREA--MALAYSIA FOR IN
STANCE."" THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT THE REBELS
HAVE BEEN PREPARING SINCE'1968 AND HE ESTIMATES
THE STRENGTH OF THE INSURGENTS TO BE BETWEEN
10,000 TO 20,000. THE GOVERNMENT IS CONV;:NCED
THAT THE INSURGENTS HAVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS Or`
RIFLES AND AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND HAVE GAINED SUB-
STANTIAL POPULAR SUPPORT. THE CEYLONESE OFFICIAL
SAID THAT THE REBELLION CANNOT BE CONTROLLED
WITHIN THE NEXT 10 DAYS, BUT THAT THE INSURGENTS
MUST BE STOPPED ""BEFORE THEY GET GOOD..'"
A ACTING ON BEHALF OF
INISTER BANDARANAIKE, HAS REQUESTED US
ASSISTANCE IN GETTING SIX HELICOPTERS AND SPARE
PARTS WITHIN AT LEAST THE NEXT'10 DAYS.
2. THE CEYLONESE OFFICIAL SAID THE PRIME
MINISTER VIEWED THE SITUATION AS a"DESPERATE.""
HE DESCRIBED THE UPRISING AS A "FULL-BLOWN IN-
SURGENCY MOVEMENT OF THE CLASSIC PATTERN AS SEEN
3. BRITISH OFFICIALS,
FARE INCREASINGLY
ABOUT THE SITUATION AND WANT TO DO ALL
THEY CAN TO HELP. THE CEYLONESE HAVE ALSO REQUESTED
HELICOPTERS, CAPABLE OF AIRBORNE ASSAULT, FROM THE
UK. THE BRITISH, HOWEVER, SAY THAT "PRACTICAL
PROBLEMS"" MAKE IT UNLIKELY THAT THESE CAN BE
PROVIDED. NONE IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THR.,tJGH
BRITISH COMMERCIAL CHANNELS.
completed 25X1
SECRET
Approved For Release 2008/02/11 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001100100159-0
 Approved For Release 2008/02/11 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001100100159-0
SECRET
41. PRIME MINISTER BANDARANAIKE HAS EXPRESSED
CONCERN TO BRITISH OFFICIALS ABOUT'THE SAFETY OF
TWO OF HER CHILDREN WHO ARE-CURRENTLY IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM. THERE IS SOME EVILENCE'THAT THE CEYLONESE
INSURGENTS HAVE AGENTS THERE; SOME INSURGENT
PROP#'.GANDI IS PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN PRODUCED IN
BRITAIN. SCOTLAND YARD IS PROVIDING'PROTECTION
FOR THE CHILDREN--WHO ARE IN THEIR TWENTIES.
SECRET
Approved For Release 2008/02/11: CIA-RDP85T00875R001100100159-0