"Disaster assistance should be disbursed while being sensitive to the peace process", the co-chairs in the joint statement issued out of Brussels after their meeting in Brussels on Tuesday; a crafting of words which can only be described as being brilliantly sensitive to the sensitivities of the government on the matter of linking assistance for the post Tsunami reconstruction effort to the peace process. There is no doubt that any linkage of post Tsunami assistance to the peace process, which some local political leaders appear to have advocated in their crude effort to score political advantage even in this hour of our distress, would have resulted in the government being compelled by public opinion to ask the co-chairs to fold their chairs, wind up their role in our peace process and go their way.

Except for Japan, how much do these so called co-chairs given us as aid? (The US thanks to Secretary Armitage and not ‘State’ has at least taken a strong stand against the Fascist LTTE and even called for the de-commissioning of LTTE’s weapons). Is it not a fact that almost 87% of the aid we receive comes from the World Bank, the ADB and Japan? As for the EU, their aid is infinitesimal. As someone who visited Brussels to get them to climb on board our peace train I could say with authority that they were more than reluctant to get involved. They saw no advantage to themselves. A senior official asked me as to whether they would have to increase the amount they had already allocated in their aid budget for Sri Lanka. I assured him that we only wanted the ‘political capital’, which the EU would bring with their presence as a part of the ‘safety net’ which the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Minister Moragoda were putting in place. The international community was brought in to support the government of the country but today they are playing another role and putting pressure on the government to negotiate on the terms laid out by the LTTE! Ironic to say the very least.

To revert to the EU coming in as a co-chair, it was pointed out to them that the EU had no successes to show from their "Common Foreign and Security Policy", they had only brought shame on themselves by their passivity in the face of the genocide that was being perpetrated in Bosnia; but here was a sure winner (at least that is what we thought at the time). It was also pointed out to them that the European Parliament and their Council of Ministers had passed resolutions and issued a large number of statements on the conflict in Sri Lanka and that they now had to deliver on them for the chickens had come home to roost. It was with great reluctance that they agreed to come in and that too only after the then Minister, Milinda Moragoda met Commissioner Chris Patten. It should also be recalled that they did not send a Commissioner to the Tokyo Donor meeting which was presided over by the Prime Minister of Japan; their Ambassador to Japan attended representing the EU and made a sterile statement. Such was their interest.

On the strength of the EU’s position as a co-chair, we have seen an unacceptable level of involvement by member states in what is essentially an internal matter. We have no doubt invited some to assist us but every Tom, Dick and Harry has started to score brownie points at our expense; they are exploiting our situation for their own purposes. They have, perhaps because of the Tamil diaspora in their countries, taken liberties with us that would have resulted in them being thrown out in countries such as India. Till recently there was in Colombo a so-called diplomat from an EU country who made no effort to hide that she was a supporter of the LTTE, — she has fortunately, for relations between our two countries, been recalled. We have had heads of EU member states opening LTTE’s NGO office though the LTTE is banned in his country — it was also reported that the same country had invited the LTTE on board one of their warships — I have yet to read the denial I DO HOPE the High Commission concerned issues one. We had a so-called diplomat from yet another EU country bypassing the government and taking aid to the LTTE. They visit the LTTE at the drop of a hat — without even extending to the government the courtesy of informing it, leave alone requesting permission. We have let ourselves be taken for granted.

Meanwhile we have not had one word of support from the EU, its member states or even from Japan for the government’s position that the LTTE should enter into talks with the government on the basis of what they agreed to at Oslo namely for a "Federal structure within a united Sri Lanka"; they have never had the guts perhaps to say that the ISGA of the LTTE is out of order. Not a word, not from the EU nor from Japan, which seems to be taking the cue from the EU which in turn seems to be led by Solheim the darling of the LTTE. The man who demands that the separatist insurgents and the state be treated as equals. Incidentally nowhere have I read of the government to government aid given by Norway after the Tsunami— apparently all their aid is being channelled through NGOs such as the TRO.

A word about the EU is not out of place  though we have put them on the map in the role of ‘peace makers’ and sat them at the high table, they have reciprocated by downgrading their mission here. Ours is the only EU mission in Asia that is headed by a Charge d Affairs and not an ambassador. It must however be said of the present incumbent he has discharged his functions as well as any ambassador would have; but that is not the issue. Let us boldly tell them that we do not want them as co-chair unless they once again raise the level of their representation here to that of an embassy. The writer is aware and it is on record that Commissioner External Relations of the EU in 1986 Claude Cheysson, requested that we accord to their representative, then based in Delhi, concurrently accredited to Colombo, ambassador status. He stated that they would by way of reciprocation establish an embassy and raise their representation to the level of an ambassador. They only kept their promise in 1993 and that too after much canvassing and a huge protest. They removed their ambassador after three years and have had a Charge since. It is indeed rich to think that they seek to patronizingly dictate to us to be "sensitive to the peace process when aid is being disbursed"considering what has been set out above. The government must tell the EU that if they wish to continue in the role of co-chair the level of their representation must be raised to ambassador level  we may even perhaps tell them that they could raise their Charge’s status to that of an ambassador as he knows the country well and has also accredited himself with dignity and in an acceptable manner.

In this regard it we should flag the fact that it was Sri Lanka that in 1993 agreed in the so-called Third Generation Agreement concluded with the EU to making aid conditional to respect for human rights. We had no problem with that, but many countries had refused to agree to conditional aid , but after we agreed the EU treated it as a precedent and the others too signed. We were also the first country to agree to take back our citizens who have sought asylum in EU countries and had been refused. We were also the only country that agreed to the finger printing of citizens, just like common criminals, to obtain a visa. Perhaps we have demeaned ourselves to them to such a degree that it is no wonder the EU treats us in the manner they do.

There is no gainsaying the fact that international support for the government is essential to arrive at a fair and just settlement of this conflict, but the parameters of the involvement of outsiders should be spelled out. They could for instance have a panel of their experts study the devolution proposals contained in the 2000 August Constitution that was tabled in Parliament, the architect of which was Prof. Peiris, now with the UNP. The panel could also study his proposals to the LTTE as the leader of the government team for the peace talks after they broke down and last but not least the expert panel should study the ISGA proposal of the LTTE and tell us whether these proposals fall within the Federal frame. Yes these are some ways in which the co-chairs could help positively. Making sterile statements such as the instant one is of no help at all.

The European Parliament passed over 20 resolutions on the conflict in Sri Lanka and their Council of Ministers issued a similar number of statements —`A0now they should become a party to delivering on them; we are tired of being preached to, it’s the easiest thing to do; let us have some action, let them be positive and come up with a proposal based on the values they claim to cherish, a pluralistic democracy where the Rule of Law obtains and human rights are respected — if they are not prepared to underwrite a settlement on these lines they might as well fold their tents and go away.