Peace Secretariat confirms confidence in British Governmental
policies
COLOMBO: The Peace Secretariat yesterday affirmed its appreciation of
the manner in which British High Commissioner Dominic Chilcott responded
to newspaper queries regarding an interview SCOPP Secretary General had
given to a foreign news agency.
The report indicated criticism of the British Government, in its use
of the word Britain, which may have created misconceptions of the good
relations between the two countries.
In fact, the interview had concentrated on misrepresentations by some
Non-Government Organisations in which Britishers had played a prominent
role. SCOPP also welcomed the High Commissioner’s reiteration of the
good relations between SCOPP and the High Commission, a release said.
SCOPP said in this regard it regrets an error in that the greatest
distortions were in fact the responsibility of the Secretary General of
the International Commission of Jurists who it has subsequently found
out is Australian.
Though the report by a British QC also contained some grave
unsubstantiated allegations against Sri Lankan Forces and officials, the
publication of inflated allegations was the responsibility of the ICJ
Secretary General.
His further attempts in discussion with the Sri Lankan delegation in
Geneva to belittle the Australian expert on whom he had earlier relied
is at marked odds with the immensely helpful approach to this problem of
the Australian Government.
The question of the British researcher for Human Rights Watch who
entered the country to engage illegally in work remains, but SCOPP
accepts fully that the British Government is not responsible for such
aberrations.
SCOPP also regrets the assumption that it argued that the British
government wished to replace the Norwegians in the role of facilitation.
Though this may have been contemplated in the past, not necessarily
by Britain, any suggestions recently as to the need for a new
facilitator came from representatives of NGOs.
In this contest SCOPP notes that, in such discussion, it rejected
arguments that the Norwegian facilitators had been biased, and has
pointed out that any apparent deficiencies in this regard may have
arisen from the approach of the earlier Sri Lankan government.
SCOPP would like to affirm too its confidence, with regard to recent
allegations about British training of potential LTTE policemen, that the
British Government would as a matter of principle not have engaged in
such activities without the encouragement of its Sri Lankan counterpart.
In any case indications that the programme took place not in Britain
but elsewhere suggest that recent critiques of official British aid
programmes are not at all warranted.
SCOPP hopes that, in full consultation with the Ministry of Defence,
the British Government will continue to assist in relevant programmes as
designed to fulfill ongoing national needs.
The Secretary General has made it clear that he believes defence
policies of an earlier Sri Lankan Government were not in accordance with
national needs, but that is a Sri Lankan problem for which it is absurd
to criticize foreign governments.
SCOPP does worry that some pronouncements of some British
politicians, particularly in the recent debate in the House of Commons,
are congruent with the desires of the LTTE and of some elements in the
Sri Lankan opposition.
It recognises, as does Britain when faced with similar differences of
opinion within Sri Lanka, which in a democracy opinions must be free.
Personal predilections or political priorities cannot be criticised
on the grounds of principle, provided they do not lead to actions that
are improper.
Indeed a careful reading of the actual debate in the House of
Commons, as presented in a recent publication on the subject, suggests
that even members of parliament responding to electoral considerations
tried to make clear their total abhorrence of terrorism.
It is the duty then of the Sri Lankan Government to ensure that
information regarding terrorist activity as well as humanitarian
measures taken by the government are more widely publicised.
SCOPP looks forward to continuing cooperation with the British High
Commission in Colombo, as well as other branches of the British
government, in programmes to promote the peace process.
In particular it believes that concerted efforts in language and
information technology training, particularly for professionals involved
in security work, will help to bring the communities together and
increase minority involvement in security operations.
The Ministry of Defence has made clear this is required, in
particular for the peaceful rebuilding of the Eastern Province, and we
hope Britain will contribute actively in this regard.
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