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Friday, August 25, 2006

EU ban the result of Norway's complicity

Contrary to what most in the island think, I really don’t think Norway is biased towards one of the two groups engaged in the conflict in Sri Lanka. Even if they are, then it is in the intention to make the peace process succeed. So being one of those in the small minority of people who believe so, it is pretty difficult for me to explain why the out going Head of SLMM, Major General Ulf Henricsson, would criticize the EU for banning the LTTE. He apparently considers the move giving carte blanche to the Sri Lankan government to attack the LTTE. In relation to the Norwegian sponsored peace process this might in fact be true: the mediator suppose to treat the two groups with equal respect. But where, I wonder, do the Norwegian draw the line? If they were mediating a peace process between the Hitler’s regime and the Jews while the Nazis were sending the latter to concentration camps, would the Norwegians oppose other countries action on Hitler’s Germany on the grounds that it would hurt the peace process? Similarly, how far can the LTTE go before the Norwegians agree the LTTE is not serious about peace and something else need to be done, including allowing the international community to take action against a group that has caused terror in the country? It is nothing but a disgrace that the LTTE went unpunished for its part in the killing of thousands of innocent civilians; especially Tamils who were brutally murdered for opposing the LTTE. Norwegians did little when the then Foreign Minister Kadiragamar was assassinated. He was a Tamil who believed in democracy and peace. Was he merely collateral damage in the Norwegians quest for success? Another appalling fact is the score of the ceasefire violations kept by Major General Henricsson’s own SLMM. The LTTE is responsible over 3000 of the documented violations compared to the 200 or so by the SL army. And the Norwegians said nothing and did nothing. So I question Major Generals sensibility when he has the audacity to criticize a collective group of countries making a genuine effort to curb the terrorist activities. Activitis of the Tigers which the Norwegians have miserably failed to tame over the years. I hope the Major General is replaced by someone who is a little more practical and courageous who is willing to reprimand when either party deviates from their commitment to find a lasting solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka.

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