Attack on Lanka’s Mission in Norway:

Govt lodges official protest

The Government of Sri Lanka has vehemently condemned the violent attack by operatives belonging to the international terror network of the LTTE on the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo on Sunday, April 12, 2009.

On the advice of the Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, the Royal Norwegian Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Tore Hattrem was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on April 13, 2009, and an official protest lodged.

The following matters were brought to the attention of the Ambassador in connection with the attack on the Sri Lanka mission in the Norwegian capital.

The Sri Lanka Government strongly condemns the premeditated attack on the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oslo on Sunday, April 12 by operatives of the international terror network of the LTTE.

In the recent past, there have been a number of demonstrations organized by the LTTE’s international network across the globe. On this particular day (April 12) too, a demonstration was held with the permission of the Norwegian Government. The said attack was subsequent to this demonstration.

The Norwegian Government, being fully cognizant of the modus operandi of the LTTE and in constant contact with its international network as well as its leadership in the North of Sri Lanka, ought to have ensured the provision of adequate security to the diplomatic premises and agents of the Sri Lanka Government as obligated by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961.

Article 22(2) of the Convention casts a special duty on the receiving State “to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity.”

Furthermore, requests for adequate security for the Mission had been made repeatedly by the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Norway, who had been informed by the authorities that since the Norwegian Security Service was maintaining a constant surveillance of the Mission, they did not perceive the necessity to place a static guard to provide security cover.

V In this context, the Government of Sri Lanka deplores the failure of the Norwegian Government in fulfilling its obligations under international law, consequent to its sheer neglect in the provision of adequate security to the Sri Lanka Mission in Oslo.

V Quite in contrast, the Government of Sri Lanka has been continuously providing security to Norway’s diplomatic representation in Sri Lanka at all times, notwithstanding the constraints of manpower and other resources on the Police and security agencies.

V It was fortunate that none of the staff of the Sri Lanka Embassy came to harm due to their absence from the diplomatic premises, when this vicious and violent attack on the Mission took place.

V It is deplorable that this act of terror took place within hours of the presidential directive to the armed forces to restrict their operations to those of a defensive nature, in order to give the civilian population entrapped as hostages by the LTTE, the opportunity to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in a suitable atmosphere and have uninhibited freedom of movement from the No Fire Zone to the cleared areas.

V This outrageous act of terror committed by the LTTE in Oslo, the Capital of Norway which they feel is a secure location due the moral backing available locally, should demonstrate to the Norwegian Government, the true character of the LTTE.

V Further, it displays that repeated concessions made by the Sri Lanka Government have been treated only with contempt by the LTTE.

V In these circumstances, the Government of Sri Lanka perceives that it is no longer feasible for Norway to act as facilitator in its engagement with Sri Lanka in the current context.

V The Government of Sri Lanka strongly urges the Norwegian Government to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack on its Embassy in Oslo and bring them to justice immediately.

In addition, the Government of Sri Lanka also expects the Norwegian authorities to act swiftly to provide adequate security for the Sri Lanka Mission, as well as all for the staff of the Mission, in keeping with Norway’s international obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and also ensure that there is no recurrence of such incidents in the future.

The violent conduct of LTTE elements conducting various demonstrations elsewhere abroad, amounting to glorification of terrorism, should at least now convince the international community of the absolute intransigence of the LTTE and its callous disregard for international law and civilized norms of behaviour.