Govt for broadbasing SLMM - Kethesh

Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: The Government is likely to agree for an amendment to the Ceasefire Agreement to allow an increase in the number of SLMM monitors as well as include non-Nordic members in the body.

The SCOPP Deputy Secretary General Kethesh Loganathan said "it may not be a bad idea to broadbase the SLMM to include persons from other countries," adding that the SLMM should comprise human rights experts as well as police and military.

At present, the SLMM comprises mainly ex-police and military personnel lacking HR expertise vital for monitoring a ceasefire, Loganathan said.

A change in the SLMM requires amending the 2002 February CFA where a certain clause in the agreement specifically mentions that truce monitors should constitute members from Nordic countries. Of the 57 monitors, only 20 are from non-EU Iceland and Norway.

He said the decision of the Government has not been made official as yet, adding that there was an increasing likelihood of an agreement to increase the numbers and the inclusion of non-Nordic representatives. The SCOPP Deputy Chief said the Government had been insisting on safeguarding human rights in view of the gross violations committed by the LTTE during the Ceasefire.

The LTTE demanded a change in the SLMM composition last week saying they wanted the members from EU nations which banned them recently as a terrorist organisation, to be removed from truce monitoring activities. If the 57 member monitoring body is to shed its EU members the team would have been trimmed down to just 20.

It is likely the Government will respond in the affirmative to Norway's questionnaire which also touches on the SLMM.

Loganathan said the initiatives taken for a political solution will be expedited despite the Oslo meeting not taking place in view of the LTTE's unilateral withdrawal. "Political parties have already started nominating representatives to the Parliamentry Committee which is supported by the advisory body appointed by the President yesterday" he said.

Discussion at a high level is being conducted to determine if the LTTE proxy TNA should also be involved in this Parliamantry Committee or merely continue the current bi-lateral discussions between the President and the party.

The Committee will be on how to move forward in forging democratic consensus on matters pertaining to devolution of power and a political solution, and evolve a blueprint outlining the parameters of a final solution.

The Constitutional Reforms Ministry is playing a leading role in this effort.