Quite a few prominent Sri Lankans (in addition to people like J. N. Dixit), have been hosted by this organization, with all expenses paid, first class air fares, hotels etc. at much published symposia held abroad. These included Mr. Bradman Weerakoon, Mr. Bernard Tilekeratne, General Ranatunga, Father S. J. Emmanuel (of "I am a Tamil first and a Catholic second fame"), Mr. Nanda Godage, Mr. Charitha Ratwatte, Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe, and others: all honourable and patriotic Peace Lovers.

Many have wondered from where International Alert gets so much money to disburse so liberally. Many have wondered yet more, as to what its agenda is, and why prominent associates in Sri Lanka are being so enthusiastic about it.

The activities of International Alert have indeed come under the scrutiny of several organizations abroad including the Chr. Michelsen Institute of Norway, the America Broadcasting Corporation, etc.

Let us begin the story in May 1997, in Sierra Leone in Africa, a very small, poor country but fantastically rich in potential -diamonds, gold, radioactive minerals, tungsten, titanium and a host of other riches beside: and therefore a happy hunting ground for neo-colonials, international racketeers and brigands.

President overthrown

The President of Sierra Leone, Al-Haj Dr. Tejan Kabbah was overthrown by a military junta in May 1997 and was exiled in Guinea. (He was recently reinstalled as President, but more of this anon)

In April 3, 1997 even before the coup d' etat, President Al-Haj Dr. Kabbah wrote to Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the UN in the following terms.

State House
Freetown Republic of Sierra Leone
April 8, 1997
His Excellency,
Mr. Kofi Annan
Secretary-General of the United Nations
New York.
Dear Mr. Secretary-General,

I know that you have been closely following the latest developments in Sierra Leone particularly the events of 29 March 1997 when the Kallahun faction of the RUF abducted a number of prominent RUF officials as well as the Ambassador of Sierra Leone to Guinea.

My Government together with the leaders of the sisterly states in the subregion are doing everything possible to overcome the crisis created by the treacherous act of recalcitrant elements within the RUF and put the peace process back on track. I have no doubt that all men and women of goodwill fully support our initiatives in this regard.

I am gravely concerned, however, by the continuing anti Sierra Leone activities of a London-based NGO, International Alert (IA). In general, and two of its officials Mr. Kumar Rupesinghe and Mr. Addal Sebo in particular. They started interfering in our internal affairs in violation of the principles guiding the conduct of NGOs when Mr. Sebo surreptitiously entered our territory on more than one occasion and stayed with Corporal Sankoh for weeks at a time in 1995. During these illegal visits, IA did everything to gain propaganda advantage for the RUF and to raise money for its war efforts in several capitals around the world.

Joining forces with the erstwhile military Junta, the National Provinsional Ruling Council (NPRC) and the RUF, IA fought tooth and rail against the process of democratization, especially the presidential and parliamentary elections in February/March last year.

Likewise, during the extended period of peace negotiations between the government of Sierra Leone and the RUF, IA's role was one of advocacy on behalf of the RUF and not that of facilitator as it often claimed. There is no doubt that the slow pace of the negotiations in the first instance and the subsequent unnecessary delays in signing the agreement were all due in large measure to the pernicious which IA provided to the RUF.

In the period since the signing of the Abidjan Accord, IA through its representatives, Kumar Rupesinghe and Addal Sebo, embarked upon sabotaging all efforts at implementing the peace agreement in good faith. Violating the decision of their own Board of Trustees not to be involved in the affairs of Sierra Leone any longer once the peace agreement had been signed, Rupesinghe and Sebo left no stone unturned to derail or delay the implementation process.

In this connection, I attach copy of a letter which Addal Sebo addressed to my Special Advisor even before the ink was dry on the Abidjan Peace Accord introducing extraneous factors which clearly are intended to wreck the implementation process.

My Government has tolerated all these machinations of International Alert and its representatives, limiting itself only to taking the necessary precautions in order to minimize the damages there from. However, I have now decided to bring the matter to your attention and through you to the international community because the lives of innocent persons are directly being jeopardized by IA.

I have received reliable reports to the effect that IA through its above mentioned representatives have now embarked upon yet another exercise to confuse the international community about its role while engaging in activities that are not only intolerable but downright criminal. They have been facilitating contacts between Corporal Foday Sankoh and the Kalahun faction of the RUF which had carried out on 29 March 1977 the kidnapping of persons engaged in a peace mission in Nongowa, Guinea.

They have been transmitting orders from Sankoh to the faction in Kallahun to execute innocent people while at the same time telephoning the families of the intended victims with a view to intimidating and silencing them. They have also been conducting intense psychological warfare against known opponents of Corporal Sankoh with the aim of coercing them to change their position.

My Government is in possession of concrete evidence that IA have been engaged in these malicious practices in order to prolong the conflict in my country which they use for soliciting funds from donor agencies and governments while benefiting personaly from the illicit mining and sale of precious minerals and the purchase of weapons by the RUF.

Consequently, I should like to draw your attention to the fact that my government has now decided to severe all relations with International Alert and to urge all governments and international organizations to refrain from interacting with IA on all matters affecting Sierra Leone, and particularly the peace process.

Please accept, Mr. Secretary-General, the assurances of my highest considerations.

Alhaj Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
President of The Republic of Sierra Leone

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