On February 2002 the Norwegian –brokered Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) came into being. How it raised such hopes that negotiations would follow and a solution found that would bring peace to our Country. Since then the CFA has been violated by the Tamil Tigers who, as we know now, used it to re-arm and re-group for further conflict. We hoped that with enough goodwill all parties could get around the negotiation table but to no avail. Over these five years we have learnt that the Tamil Tiger Leader Prabhakaran was not interested in a solution but only interested in his own survival – in the meanwhile the Tamils have suffered under him and are fearful of speaking out for fear of reprisals. Even now with the North lost and so too the East they have an opportunity to negotiate but they will not. It was inevitable that with several violations it was only a matter of time that the CFA would be ended as it failed to live up to the expectations and hopes of all Sri Lankans for a lasting solution that would bring about peace.

The Environment and International Development Minister Mr Erik Solheim has been quoted as saying, ‘ending it was a serious step’ and he adds that violence and hostilities will escalate further. May I ask where Norway was when the CFA was constantly violated with such impunity? It failed to exert pressure on the LTTE to keep to the agreement or take it to task. Norway has failed Sri Lanka as facilitator and so too its monitors who have tended to look the other way but point an accusing finger at the armed forces.

With hindsight one is wiser. The Cease Fire Agreement was one sided and we now know the beneficiary was all along the LTTE and not the Tamil People whom it ‘claims’ to represent. Even now I hold a forlorn hope for a negotiated settlement but that is now a distant dream. Norway should have NO further part to play in any negotiated solution and I hope that the government addresses the grievances of all minorities through the All-Party Representative Committee as it now holds the best cards for a lasting solution.