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Featured Article: The future of Norway as facilitator…?

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Monday, 04 December 2006

Jon Hanssen Bauer, Norway’s special envoy has visited Sri Lanka again. His arrival in Sri Lanka is in the context in which Sri Lankan is interested in seeking a clarification from Norway regarding LTTE leader Pirapaharan’s statement in his address on the Heroes’ Day that the Ceasefire has become defunct.

In recent times the propaganda against Norway has increased particularly in the government media. Bauer has expressed his concern over this matter at his meeting with Minister Siripala de Silva and the government’s spokesman Kehaliaya Rambukwella.

The LTTE that had been stressing that the Ceasefire Agreement must be complied with has now taken up the position that the CFA has now become defunct. Bauer is expected to visit Kilinocchi and discuss these issues.

While the international community and the Co-chair countries insist on the role of Norway as a facilitator in the peace process, President Rajapakse in his interview with Madras Hindu on his visit to India has expressed the view that Norway has failed in its role as a facilitator.

When we look back, President Rajapakse, during the Presidential polls, raised slogans against Norway and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission along with his political allies JVP and JHU. .

Although Rajapakse said that he was going to approach certain other countries for facilitation during the election campaign, on being elected, he appealed to Norway to continue to play its role as facilitator. Even now while he charges Norway as having failed in its role, he doesn’t propose to substitute any other country as peace facilitator.

Norway has been continuing its peace efforts despite an antagonistic political environment in the south against it. It must be understood that no other country is prepared to play this role as a facilitator for peace in case Norway decides to quit from the peace process.

As regards President Rajapakse’s statement that Norway has failed, one could observe that if the peace process failed, it would not be of Norway’s doing. It is the failure of Sri Lanka.

It is certain that no external force, third party or facilitator can bring peace to this Island. Sri Lankans can determine their destiny, only if they have the political will.

An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

Comments (8)add comment

Jay Jay said:

Norway is a decent nation trying to do business with a morally corrupt, murderous regime. What GOSL needs is a facilitatotor who calls their (GOSL) killings "collatoral damage" and unfortunate accidents. Then they can continue on their merry way with their killings, kidnappings, extortions and rapes with the impunity that is part of that regime. Norway is respected by decent human beings and will be held in high esteem by many. High esteem is NOT a term that can be used to describe the GOSL. Can it?
2006-12-04 12:36:30

Vasanthi said:

GOSL neither respected CFA, nor helped Norway, and the monitoring mission execute their jobs. Mahinda came to power decrying CFA, and Norway peace keepers. Do we expect anything better from him?
2006-12-04 13:15:26

nigger said:

its gonna be wore..cause too many people profit from it...the guys who profit are the ones on the top....the ones in control...they need the war...people on both sides are the ones that suffer...
2006-12-04 13:59:29

Anders said:

Right on -- and just when one thought no sensible word would ever see print on Sri Lanka...
2006-12-04 15:18:09

A Well Wisher said:

The future of Norway as peace negotiator seem to have fallen out of favour of the Srilankan government. As far as Rajapakse is concerned, he is looking for one, a yes man, who will simply tow his line without asking questions. No respectful country will do that. It is the duty of a peace negotiator to stand neutral and report facts which reflect the true ground situation.

Obviously, Rajapakse is not happy when the truth is revealed. He needs a negotiator who should go along with the government hide the truth, hide the real happenings and join the government to give out false propaganda to hoodwink the public and the world.

The GoSL has been put to shame because the International community and the world has come to know the real ground situation and the truth did not auger well with the government. Norway and other co-sponsors had done their jobs in accordance with the norms that are required of a peace negotiator. With the little press freedom and the genuine reporting of monitoring missions, the truth had come out in the open - the true ground situation bringing out the whole truth about crimes and attrocities and human rights violations committed by GoSL and its military and brought shame and strong condemnations from the International community and the world. That's what truth does. It hurts people who does wrong.

Now Rajapakse wants another country to be the peace negotiator though no respectful country will want to take on the role just to be a mouth piece of the government. No country will want to lose its credibility and honour by reporting false propaganda.

And it is hoped that the bigger powers and the International Institutions for maintaing justice and peace, maintain impartiality and NOT fall prey to the false propaganda of the Srilankan government.


2006-12-04 15:44:42

Jan said:


I don't think we could find any other nation like Norway for facilitating the piece process.

Canada seems to be a good choice but the new prime minister of Canada proscribed LTTE as a terrorist organization.

So if they lift the ban on LTTE in future and if there is a chance for a peace, then Canada may be the nation to facilitate the peace process.
2006-12-04 18:53:06

Eashan said:

There is no need for Norway any more in Ceylon. What did they do when our Chencholai kids and Vaharai Refugies were killed. BTW, the flesh/blood greedy GoSL is going to decalre the war soon, this is because greedy rajapakse family needs more money which they try to make through big scandals.
2006-12-04 20:26:08

Gabriel said:

The Singhalese nation is a dumb nation. They think they can buy or hoodwink anyone in the world. They do not have anything to offer but want to be in control.

They will not accept any body as a mediator unless the mediator is willing to dance to their tunes. So the mediation is not going to work with the Singhalese who want to rule over Tamils but have nothing to offer. All the brainwork for the blessed Lanka has been / is being performed by the Tamils.

They know, if Eelam is achieved the Singhalese have to come to Eelam for work and earn a living. So the GOSL will try to stop this happening at any cost.
2006-12-05 14:38:28

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