Ranjith Soysa

The story of NorwayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s failed bid to legitimize the LTTEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s grab of the North and the East clearly demonstrates the treacherous role played by the FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs. The FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs were funded by a number of Western Governments and also the multi-national private sector companies as well as the private trusts etc which invariably had their own political agenda. In Sri Lanka their main focus was to exploit the non-existing ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”ethnic problemƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to divide the country on racial basis. FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs funding pattern and the programms launched when Sri Lanka was at war with the LTTE have received the critical attention of the GovernmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s NGO Commission as well as other patriotic researchers. FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs activities had adverse consequences on Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s national security as well the sovereignty of the country.

Of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ late, some of the Sri Lankan policy makers are making moves to invite and embrace the FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs even though there is no change whatsoever in the style or the substance of these organizations. One should not forget the fact that the FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs even financed the LTTE including training men and supplying material while others planned to get the West to intervene through the R2P programme. Their associates are hell bent in their attempts to haul Sri Lankan President and other senior officials before the UN Human Rights Commission etc including spreading erroneous information and propaganda on Sri Lanka. Even at present the US, the UK and Norway diplomatic representatives regularly visit the North to revamp the racist Tamil agenda. Simultaneously these Governments get their FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs to disburse funds to the politicians and their political programmes to buy them over. The Trojan horses are accepted with both hands because of the gravy train. The Norwegian NGOs are busy and the International Alert- a notorious outfit with a history of dabbling in domestic affairs ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” is offered to play a role in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s reconciliation and rebuilding with the blessings of the Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK.

As the pithy Sinhala saying goes, the TigerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s spots do not change when it enters a different jungle. Even though the post-war period is a new phase compared to the war era under the pseudo Norway peace, the dangerous species of FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs should be managed accordingly. Under the present circumstances Sri Lanka should look carefully the gift horse in the mouth.

Sri Lanka must take all steps to be vigilant and avoid being a prey of the FƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢NGOs.

Ranjith Soysa