Canada offers to partner Sri Lanka in Post Conflict Development?

By Noor Nizam

(July 12, Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) During the final stages of the bloody military conflict between the LTTE cadres and the brave soldiers of the Sri Lankan army in the jungles of the Wanni, specially on May 16 blighted all hopes of any International intervention to rescue the LTTE hierarchy out of their hideout in the sliver strip of land between the sea and the Nanthi Kadal, a marshy lagoon area in the North. Still desperate calls from LTTE cadres were sending out SOS messages to their contacts, of which certain Scandinavian and British politicians are boasting about still, after letting down their friends and leaders of the most dreadful and wealthiest terrorist movement of the century. In the aftermath of the day when the two Sri Lankan army divisions, 58 and 59, that advanced from the south and the north met, the International community were still deceptive to the LTTE and misguided then fully into the folly that they had been engaged in during the 23 long years of agony that the international community had subjected the Tamil community and the aspiring Tamil youth of Sri Lanka. What they had done was not humanitarian assistance and reach out in the North and East of Sri Lanka, but indirectly and covertly spread the ideology of militancy and to make believe in the power of arms and violence to that of understating reality and negotiations using democratic institutions for an honourable and peaceful settlement of the issues.

Canada is not innocent to this allegation and it has been proved beyond doubt that the Canadian Tax money played a very important role in the financing of a militancy group to grow into the most dreadful and wealthiest terrorist movement of the century. All and every Canadian cannot be framed with this charge, but there is enough evidence that many more, including provincial politicians, federal MP’s and former cabinet ministers of the Liberal Party can face trial if there are eminent international lawyers capable of proving a point in International Courts, the involvements of these personalities as action against humanity. The main charges will be supporting terrorist in their fund raising campaigns in Canada, though the Court’s judgments, may have no binding effect on them in the future, even if the some of the International courts will have judicial review powers on such crimes later on. Today, in addition to various treaties prohibiting many specific acts of terrorism, and in the aftermath of 11 September 2001, the Member States of the UN have undertaken the drafting of a comprehensive convention against terrorism. At a future review conference, if the States Parties so decide, the crime of terrorism could be added to the Court's jurisdiction. (International Criminal court). The ICC will have jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The ICC may be able to then prosecute terrorist acts falling within these categories. Supporting fundraising for terrorist groups or activities then will be seen as a crime for the ICC.

But the image of the Canadian situation has changed in the horizon of International Relations and bilateral relations between Sri Lankan and Canada . Just within one month after the deporting of Hon. Bob Rae, the Foreign Ministry Liberal critic in parliament landing at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo on Tuesday June the 9th., 2009, Hon Deepak Obhrai arrives Sri Lanka on Saturday July the 4th on an official visit. Hon. Deepak Obhrai announced to the press on arrival in Colombo that the objective his visit is to further the work of Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Government of Canada. Deepak Obhrai would engage himself with the Sri Lankan Government in regard to the humanitarian assistance and transitional needs sought by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North, he said. That was a warm indication of understanding in bilateral relations, rather than the scenario created by Hon. Bob Rae even after being issued with an official visa to visit Sri Lanka . The irony was that Hon. Bob Rae traveled with a one way ticket and could not clear his suspected involvements in the clandestine affairs with suspicious groups in Sri Lankan that were a threat to the sovereignty and security of the island nation, that had just concluded a terrible military operation with the LTTE. Sri Lanka was also suspicious of the millions of dollars that Hon. Bob Rae and an NGO with whom he had dealings with had siphoned out under the pretext of educating Federalism in Sri Lanka .

On Monday the 6th., July, 2009, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told the world

“No way for federalism in this country”.

That is what President Mahinda Rajapaksa had to tell Mr. N. Ram, Editor of “Hindu Newspaper” when the renounced Indian journalist had an exclusive interview with him.

So what is all this talk about Federalism to Sri Lankan and the millions of dollars Hon. Bob Rae was custodian to since 2002 that he and his NGO had spent in Sri Lanka with their partners, the Centre for Policy Alternatives a local NGO in Sri Lanka.

Annual Report statements show the staggering amounts of funds as indicated spent to maintain a high elite profile wage/consultation and project expenditure structure just to do what has not been done in, Sri Lanka - to propagate the need for federalism as a solution to the ethic problems in the Indian Ocean Island. Showcase events are the only product of these activities rather creating a reality of the need of the people - power sharing and honourable peace. The annual reports of Federation Forum since 2002 - 2008 clearly indicates the vast amounts of taxpayers’ monies that the Liberal government had bestowed upon the custodian Hon. Bob Rae of the Forum Federation for all these experiments in, including Sri Lanka. Evidence is also available that the political society that was been interacted in Sri Lanka belonged to the elite hierarchy of selected political parties and brokerage representation. Some of these politicians are indeed holding powerful cabinet portfolios in the present Mahinda Rajapaksa government today.

So what happened to Canadian Federalism in Sri Lankan during all these years? Their was NO SINCEREITY at all in the work done according to local political science scholars and leading diverse community leaders.

The issue now is - "SINCERITY" for the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sincerity is what Canada has to deliver in its bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka. Canada has a very vital role to play in the reconciliation, devolution of power/power sharing and the post conflict development plans of the North and East.

The President told Ram: “I want to get representatives from the Provinces involved in national policy-making. And if there is anything against a Provincial Council, they can protect their powers constitutionally. I have an arrangement in mind — this is what we call ‘home-grown solutions’ — but the idea needs to be discussed and the details settled. I don’t want to impose any arrangement.”

The present government of Sri Lankan has much goodwill with a section of the Sri Lankan Diaspora comprising of moderate Tamils, Sinhalese, Muslims and Burgers in Canada. This section of Canadian citizens have played a bigger role than the diplomatic representation in Ottawa in building bridges and confidence with the political and administrative hierarchy in Colombo and the local links in their respective Canadian cities of domicile. Canadian Friends of Sri Lanka is their newest civil society vehicle that will be engaged in strengthening these objectives for mutual benefit of both the nations.

Will Canada, Hon. Lawrence Cannon, and Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Government of Canada and visiting Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations Deepak Obhrai assist the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to achieve what the president has spoken about an arrangement is now the question?

Sri Lanka has confidence in the present government of Canada, yet will Canada be sincere in its bilateral reach out as expressed by Hon. Deepak Obhrai while in Colombo to the Hon. Rohita Bogollagma, the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka?

-Sri Lanka Guardian