The reversal of the decision of the International Center for Ethnic Studies to dismiss Dr. Rama Mani, its executive director, was influenced by requests by the Canadian High Commission and the Ford Foundation, a Parliamentary Select Committee was told last week.

ICES Chairman Kingsley de Silva told the committee probing NGOs/INGOs that he received written appeals for the immediate reinstatement of the foreign executive director.

But the decision to reinstate her was also due to the strong appeal made by ICES staff, he told MP Vijitha Herath’s committee.

Although the ICEC chairman withdrew the removal order, the government declined to extend her visa, thereby forcing her to leave the country recently.

Among the ICES representatives who appeared before the select committee last week were its chairman and Mr. Bradman Weerakoon, a director.

During Friday’s sittings it transpired that the Ford Foundation had funded the ICEC to the tune of Rs 76 million. The Canadian HC had advised the ICES that its failure to reinstate Dr. Mani would be detrimental to their relationship and may endanger future Canadian support.

The committee has also decided to summon an expatriate UNDP official who signed a petition demanding the reinstatement of Dr. Mani. Although the official had claimed that he had been tricked into signing the document, the select committee would interview him, the sources said.

The sources acknowledged that this particular issue wouldn’t have blown up if Dr. Mani wasn’t sacked in the first place. That was direct result of the power struggle between two groups within ICES, the sources asserted.

The JVP-led select committee had taken advantage of the dispute to bring the matter before the committee, the sources said, pointing out the focus of the investigation would be the staggering amounts of overseas funding made available to various NGOs.

They said that the committee initially planned to question the ICES on the controversial R2P proposition (Responsibility to Protect) presented in Colombo by former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans.

Senior representatives of Young Asia Television, Neelan Tirichelvan Trust, Theertha International Artists Collective, National Peace Council, Social Scientists Association, Women and Media Collective, Foundation for Co-Existence and National Anti War Front had joined the UNDP official to protest the removal of Dr. Mani.

Informed sources said that these organizations among themselves had received Rs 200 million from FLICT (Facilitating Local Initiatives for Conflict Resolution). They indicated that they wouldn’t be called before the select committee although the UNDP official would be called to explain his position.

Meanwhile CARE International which appeared before the committee also on Friday and acknowledged that its allegation that the army looted its offices in Vakarai was baseless. The INGO admitted that the claim was made to secure more overseas funding and that it didn’t lodge any complaint with Sri Lankan military authorities.

Army Headquarters earlier denied allegations that troops looted CARE International offices during large scale clearing operations in the Vakarai region, one of the major LTTE strongholds in the East, which fell following a relentless military assault.