BEWARE. NORWEGIANS ARE BACK !
By Sugath Samarasinghe
Norwegians who negotiated the disastrous CFA between Prabhakaran and Ranil Wickremasinghe in 2002 are back in business. This time on Constitutional reforms according to r news report on ‘The Island’ of 9th Dec.
Again, they have come “on the invitation of the National Unity Government”. This time, it is a Kave Vollen who is said to be a ‘global electoral expert’ who has already come ‘for consultation with political parties represented in Parliament as well as other interested parties’. And whom does he meet with first? Some representatives of minorities and of course, Dr. Pakyasothy Saravanamuttu of the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA). Curiously, he does not meet with representatives of the rest of the community in this country who constitute 76% of the population, to ascertain their concerns and fears.
He has come to advise a country that has already drafted and tried out two constitutions and a democracy that had regularly changed political parties which should govern them smoothly, and had overcome a Coup d’tat and three violent attempts to topple democratically elected governments, and the last attempt after a militarily struggle of 30 years. Right now this country has adopted a new concept of a ‘national unity government’ to be tried out, in an attempt to accommodate conflicting interests. What better test to ourselves? Incidentally, have they learnt any lessons from their contrived Cease Fire Agreement brokered by them here in 2002? We recall how ineffective their one sided Monitoring Committee was, during this process. I think if there is any lesson that they should draw from this experience is, not to interfere with other countries. Once burnt, twice shy
Interestingly, SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem had told him by implication that they are happy with the Presidential System which was fair by the minorities and advantageous to them. Now where would Mr. Vollen go from there?
Why don’t the Norwegians and the UNHRC etc leave us to solve our own problems by ourselves?
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