04-02-2006, 03:18 PM
Haukland's parting salvo draws
Rajapaksa ire
Situation Report - by Iqbal Athas
The outgoing Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), retired Norwegian Brigadier Hagrup Haukland, who leads the team of Nordic citizens tasked to monitor the Ceasefire Agreement between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had some parting words of wisdom to Sri Lankans.
Just a week ago, he told Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa that the Sri Lanka Army cannot win the war with Tiger guerrillas. He opined that unlike Al Qaeda, the LTTE was not a terrorist organisation. They were freedom fighters, he declared.
Those words came from Mr. Haukland (he prefers not to use his military title) who has been associated with the SLMM since its inception in 2002. From that year until 2002 he was Chief of Staff. After a short break from October 2004 to October 2005, he rejoined the SLMM and became its head. This was after succeeding retired Norwegian Major General, the smooth talking Trond Furuhovde.
Even if his remarks do not constitute the official view of the Government of Norway, the peace facilitator that signed a Status of Mission Agreement with Sri Lanka for the establishment and management of the SLMM, the occasion was an official one. Mr Haukland had called on Defence Secretary Rajapaksa on Thursday March 23 afternoon to introduce his successor, retired Swedish Major General Ulf Henricsson. The retired Swedish Army officer became Head of SLMM from yesterday. This was the result of President Rajapaksa Government's request to Norway to only play the role of a peace facilitator and leave ceasefire monitoring activity to another party. Accordingly it was announced during talks on the ceasefire in Geneva in February that Sweden would head the SLMM.
Mr Haukland's controversial remarks drew an angry response from Defence Secretary Rajapaksa. "You have come here to do a job of work. If you want to do that efficiently, be impartial and don't take sides," he shouted back. Thereafter, he went on to give the outgoing and the new SLMM Head some advice. He said they should take time to learn about the culture and history of Sri Lanka. "The Sinhalese and Tamils have lived in unity for several decades. You come here now and say it won't work. Don't talk like that," exhorted Mr. Rajapaksa.
Angered by the remarks he went on to accuse the outgoing SLMM head of serving in jobs in Sri Lanka only to add such stints to their resume and not to achieve objectives. Mr Rajapaksa accused the SLMM of failing to condemn recent Tiger guerrilla attacks on the armed forces field and the police. The remarks drew a prompt reply from Mr. Haukland. He said the SLMM had no evidence. "You cannot attack a person if there is no evidence. I will deal with the person if I can catch them," he pointed out.
Not to be outdone, Mr. Rajapaksa said if the SLMM wanted to do a good job, the whole purpose is lost by the utterances of its head.
Mr. Haukland was also to raise issue over the Ministry of Defence turning down an LTTE request for a helicopter flight to ferry their military leaders from the east to the Wanni. This was for a meeting with their leadership. Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said the request was intended to place the Government in an embarrassing position. He said even armed forces area commanders serving either in the north or the east were not provided helicopter rides when they were invited for conferences in Colombo.
The meeting ended with the new Head of SLMM speaking barely a few words with Mr. Rajapaksa. This was after the two SLMM leaders said they were running late for their next appointment. Even though the matter ended there, within the dovecotes of power the remarks made by Mr. Haukland have raised eyebrows. The matter has also been brought to the attention of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
With the CFA of February 22, 2002, both the Government of Sri Lanka and the Royal Norwegian Government concluded a Status of Mission Agreement (SOMA). The status, privileges and immunities of the SLMM and its members are defined and set out in this three-page agreement. The LTTE has in writing to the Norwegian Government committed its willingness to fully implement the SOMA.
Article 3 of SOMA accords all members of the SLMM the same immunities and privileges as are accorded to diplomatic agents under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18 1961. This includes immunity from "personal arrest or detention and from legal process in respect of all acts, including words spoken or written, performed by them in the course of duty."
However, Article 4 of the SOMA states: "Privileges and immunities are accorded to the SLMM and its members in the interests of efficient and independent fulfilment of the Mission's tasks and not for the personal benefit of the individuals concerned. Without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, the Mission and its members will take all appropriate steps to ensure respect for and compliance with the laws and regulations of Sri Lanka."
Surprisingly, if not shockingly, Mr. Haukland's remarks designating the LTTE as "freedom fighters" run counter to the official policy of the Donor Co-chairs who are supporting the peace process with offers of large scale foreign aid if the peace talks make progress. In the United States, the LTTE is listed as a "terrorist" organisation. In the United Kingdom they are banned and some of the front organisations have had their bank accounts frozen. It was only recently that the European Union imposed a travel ban on LTTE delegations visiting their respective member countries.
In the light of this, the question that begs answer is why a retired Norwegian Army official who had been associated with the SLMM since its inception has chosen to pass judgement on the Army's inability to win a war with Tiger guerrillas. Furthermore, for the Sri Lankan public, his assertion that the LTTE are "not terrorists" but "freedom fighters" also requires an explanation. These words were uttered when he was Head of the SLMM. Hence, did this constitute the official view of the SLMM where Mr. Haukland has been a senior official? Needless to say his controversial remarks do not help the Norwegian Government's credibility or impartiality vis-a-vis the Sri Lankan public.
This is at a time when the Government expects the SLMM to play a greater role in enforcing the Ceasefire Agreement. It is particularly in view of the military build-up by Tiger guerrillas in the north and the east and the outbreak of sporadic incidents. On Wednesday, guerrillas directed gunfire at the Navy's small detachment in Norway Island, off the Trincomalee harbour. They followed it up with mortar fire. The Eastern Naval Area Headquarters in Trincomalee directed an Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) with an SLMM member on board to move into the area. By the time they reached the spot, the guerrillas had withdrawn.
President Rajapaksa has also been increasingly concerned about reports of LTTE attempts to smuggle in more military supplies. This was after the March 25 incident in the seas south of the Gulf of Mannar where a Navy officer and seven sailors were killed. Soon after the incident he cut short a tour of the south and returned to Colombo. Thereafter, the next day, he cancelled several engagements in the north central province and urged Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake to deputise for him.
http://www.tamillinks.net/archive/2006/new...ep_02042006.htm
Rajapaksa ire
Situation Report - by Iqbal Athas
The outgoing Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), retired Norwegian Brigadier Hagrup Haukland, who leads the team of Nordic citizens tasked to monitor the Ceasefire Agreement between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had some parting words of wisdom to Sri Lankans.
Just a week ago, he told Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa that the Sri Lanka Army cannot win the war with Tiger guerrillas. He opined that unlike Al Qaeda, the LTTE was not a terrorist organisation. They were freedom fighters, he declared.
Those words came from Mr. Haukland (he prefers not to use his military title) who has been associated with the SLMM since its inception in 2002. From that year until 2002 he was Chief of Staff. After a short break from October 2004 to October 2005, he rejoined the SLMM and became its head. This was after succeeding retired Norwegian Major General, the smooth talking Trond Furuhovde.
Even if his remarks do not constitute the official view of the Government of Norway, the peace facilitator that signed a Status of Mission Agreement with Sri Lanka for the establishment and management of the SLMM, the occasion was an official one. Mr Haukland had called on Defence Secretary Rajapaksa on Thursday March 23 afternoon to introduce his successor, retired Swedish Major General Ulf Henricsson. The retired Swedish Army officer became Head of SLMM from yesterday. This was the result of President Rajapaksa Government's request to Norway to only play the role of a peace facilitator and leave ceasefire monitoring activity to another party. Accordingly it was announced during talks on the ceasefire in Geneva in February that Sweden would head the SLMM.
Mr Haukland's controversial remarks drew an angry response from Defence Secretary Rajapaksa. "You have come here to do a job of work. If you want to do that efficiently, be impartial and don't take sides," he shouted back. Thereafter, he went on to give the outgoing and the new SLMM Head some advice. He said they should take time to learn about the culture and history of Sri Lanka. "The Sinhalese and Tamils have lived in unity for several decades. You come here now and say it won't work. Don't talk like that," exhorted Mr. Rajapaksa.
Angered by the remarks he went on to accuse the outgoing SLMM head of serving in jobs in Sri Lanka only to add such stints to their resume and not to achieve objectives. Mr Rajapaksa accused the SLMM of failing to condemn recent Tiger guerrilla attacks on the armed forces field and the police. The remarks drew a prompt reply from Mr. Haukland. He said the SLMM had no evidence. "You cannot attack a person if there is no evidence. I will deal with the person if I can catch them," he pointed out.
Not to be outdone, Mr. Rajapaksa said if the SLMM wanted to do a good job, the whole purpose is lost by the utterances of its head.
Mr. Haukland was also to raise issue over the Ministry of Defence turning down an LTTE request for a helicopter flight to ferry their military leaders from the east to the Wanni. This was for a meeting with their leadership. Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said the request was intended to place the Government in an embarrassing position. He said even armed forces area commanders serving either in the north or the east were not provided helicopter rides when they were invited for conferences in Colombo.
The meeting ended with the new Head of SLMM speaking barely a few words with Mr. Rajapaksa. This was after the two SLMM leaders said they were running late for their next appointment. Even though the matter ended there, within the dovecotes of power the remarks made by Mr. Haukland have raised eyebrows. The matter has also been brought to the attention of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
With the CFA of February 22, 2002, both the Government of Sri Lanka and the Royal Norwegian Government concluded a Status of Mission Agreement (SOMA). The status, privileges and immunities of the SLMM and its members are defined and set out in this three-page agreement. The LTTE has in writing to the Norwegian Government committed its willingness to fully implement the SOMA.
Article 3 of SOMA accords all members of the SLMM the same immunities and privileges as are accorded to diplomatic agents under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18 1961. This includes immunity from "personal arrest or detention and from legal process in respect of all acts, including words spoken or written, performed by them in the course of duty."
However, Article 4 of the SOMA states: "Privileges and immunities are accorded to the SLMM and its members in the interests of efficient and independent fulfilment of the Mission's tasks and not for the personal benefit of the individuals concerned. Without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, the Mission and its members will take all appropriate steps to ensure respect for and compliance with the laws and regulations of Sri Lanka."
Surprisingly, if not shockingly, Mr. Haukland's remarks designating the LTTE as "freedom fighters" run counter to the official policy of the Donor Co-chairs who are supporting the peace process with offers of large scale foreign aid if the peace talks make progress. In the United States, the LTTE is listed as a "terrorist" organisation. In the United Kingdom they are banned and some of the front organisations have had their bank accounts frozen. It was only recently that the European Union imposed a travel ban on LTTE delegations visiting their respective member countries.
In the light of this, the question that begs answer is why a retired Norwegian Army official who had been associated with the SLMM since its inception has chosen to pass judgement on the Army's inability to win a war with Tiger guerrillas. Furthermore, for the Sri Lankan public, his assertion that the LTTE are "not terrorists" but "freedom fighters" also requires an explanation. These words were uttered when he was Head of the SLMM. Hence, did this constitute the official view of the SLMM where Mr. Haukland has been a senior official? Needless to say his controversial remarks do not help the Norwegian Government's credibility or impartiality vis-a-vis the Sri Lankan public.
This is at a time when the Government expects the SLMM to play a greater role in enforcing the Ceasefire Agreement. It is particularly in view of the military build-up by Tiger guerrillas in the north and the east and the outbreak of sporadic incidents. On Wednesday, guerrillas directed gunfire at the Navy's small detachment in Norway Island, off the Trincomalee harbour. They followed it up with mortar fire. The Eastern Naval Area Headquarters in Trincomalee directed an Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) with an SLMM member on board to move into the area. By the time they reached the spot, the guerrillas had withdrawn.
President Rajapaksa has also been increasingly concerned about reports of LTTE attempts to smuggle in more military supplies. This was after the March 25 incident in the seas south of the Gulf of Mannar where a Navy officer and seven sailors were killed. Soon after the incident he cut short a tour of the south and returned to Colombo. Thereafter, the next day, he cancelled several engagements in the north central province and urged Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake to deputise for him.
http://www.tamillinks.net/archive/2006/new...ep_02042006.htm