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

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