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"Truce saved 10,000 Sri Lankan lives, say Nordic ministers"-my comments

By Noor Nizam. Sri Lankan Peace Activist Canada.

To Hon. Foreign Ministers Jonas Gahr Store of Norway, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir of Iceland, Per Stig Moller of Denmark Carl Bildt of Sweden and Ilkka Kanerva of Finland,

Honourable Sirs,

While wishing all of you a very happy New Year and thanking your good offices and your Nations for the concern and involvement in bringing a PEACEFULL SETTLEMENT to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lankan, as a concerned Sri Lankan Peace Activist, I wish to share a "comment' I had written to IANS News wire on a news item/release issued jointly by all of you which appeared on the 5th., of January 2008.

My comments are attached below for your kind attention, consideration and immediate implementation.

Sincerely
Noor Nizam.
Canada.

MY COMMENTS:

As a concerned Sri Lankan, I wish to kindly make a strong suggestion that the Nordic Foreign Ministers should immediately advice the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and the Sri Lanka Peace Secretariat of the Government of Sri Lanka to immediately take appropriate action to make an audit of all equipments, hardware, vehicles, electronic communication equipments, and high powered sensing equipments the SLMM was using in the discharge of their duties in Sri Lanka on the eve of their departure on the 16th., of January 2008.The SLMM has a record of many violations in Sri Lanka in the discharge of their duties in Sri Lanka. It is necessary that Government of Sri Lanka should officially take over these items which have been imported into the country duty free and without "accountability" and "transparency".

The worst thing is that - there is NO provision in the CFA to monitor or report "accountability" of such items to the Government of Sri Lanka or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If these items will be passed on to undesirable elements, including the LTTE groups or other political interests that oppose the Governments present decision, it can be disastrous to any PEACE activities the Government hopes to continue in the absence of the CFA/Peace Accord. Both the Government and the LTTE have the right to make decisions that they may feel good/advantages/appropriate from their standpoint/view.

The Nordic Foreign Ministers Jonas Gahr Store of Norway, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir of Iceland, Per Stig Moller of Denmark Carl Bildt of Sweden and Ilkka Kanerva of Finland should immediately set in motion an audit as to why the CFA (Peace Accord) failed and what are the reasons for the Government of Sri Lanka to abrogate the Peace Accord.

This audit could be in the form of a Nordic Commission or in the lines of a Royal Commission, with mandatory powers vested for the members of the Commission to invite the ordinary citizens affected and concerned about the Norwegian Peace Accord or CFA in Sri Lankan and the Sri Lankan diaspora living aboard, specially in the India, UK, USA, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Australia, Malaysia and all Nordic and Middle East countries to give evidence at the hearings.

The Commission should have sittings in all the important towns in Sri Lanka, including the North, North East, East, South, Western, Central, Sabaragamuwa and the Upcountry regions of Sri Lanka and the world capitals/cities where the Sri Lankan diaspora are domiciled. No discrimination on grounds of race, religion or community representation should decide who can be allowed to give evidence. The failure of the CFA (Peace Accord) can be pointed at the failure of it's management by just one VIP diplomat, in all aspects of interpersonal relationship and the metaphors that were created, bringing great embarrassment to the Norwegian Government and the CFA (Peace Accord) itself.

The world should not blame the LTTE or the Sri Lankan Government for the failure of the Peace Accord. Looking back at the past, though Norway had very sincere and good intentions in the beginning, Sri Lanka should focus on the suspected hidden agenda of the Norwegian interest in the Peace process subsequently and the reason for it's failure due to the manipulations and personal interests of Hon. Erik Solhiem and his interest group.

Mr. Erik Solhiem also sidelined the Muslim Factor in the PEACE RROCESS and duped the Sri Lankan Muslim politicians and community members who had indeed made it possible for Norway to make a foothold in the political corridors of Sri Lanka power politics, since 1969. Hon. Erik Solhiem who just parachuted into the sensitive situation in 2000, by coincidence, manipulated the misery of the Tamil speaking Minorities for his own crowning as the " Peace negotiator" in the ethnic conflict of Sri Lanka. It was the press that made this "fake peace prophet" what he is called now today in the Press.

Those who know the truth of how Norway became to be the "Peace Facilitator" are very few and some who played a vital role in that happening are not among the living today in Sri Lanka. If I am to mention just one important person, the Late Hon. A.C.S. Hameed, the then Minister of Foreign Affairs is worth mentioning. Norway was never made a "mediator" in the beginning by the political administrators or powers that be, at that time. Hon. Erik Solhiem used "Media Language" to attach that assignment to the Norwegian assignment as "Facilitator" which the Media also labeled Norway later with – Norway the "Facilitator and Mediator" of the Sri Lankan Peace Process.

It is also of opinion that the government of Sri Lanka should therefore give serious thought NOT to engage Hon. Erik Solhiem and his team any more in any of the continued Peace discussions in the absence of a "Peace Accord/Agreement". The Nordic Foreign Ministers could make such a decision based on the "Report the Audit Commission on the failure of the CFA (Peace Accord)" has been completed.

The Sri Lankan government should give due consideration to find an alternate, more balanced personality from the International Community, Nordic countries or Norway to handle this very important assignment in the future. INDIA can be a very positive and suitable alternate. The Nordic Foreign Ministers group should assist, help and provide funds to the government of Sri Lanka, if they are sincere in the quest for PEACE or a PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. The Sri lankan Muslim Factor should also be included in the agenda. This has to happen at the earliest, without any delay.

The Sri Lankan government should NOT ban the LTTE, because this will be the only "door open" to talk PEACE with the LTTE and try bring them to the discussion/negotiation table in the future. Banning the LTTE will break the "bridge of communication/contacts" with the LTTE.
May I also kindly request the Honourable Ministers or their staff to acknowledge receipt of this e-mail please.

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