When President Chandrika Kumaratunga announced in late 1998 that the Norwegian government would be acting in a third party capacity to help resolve Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict, a crucial building block in the search for permanent peace fell into place. Given the level of mistrust that existed between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), especially after the abortive attempts at peace of 1990-91 and 1994-95, there was an indisputable need for a third party that could be trusted and would be capable of communicating effectively with both sides.
In the following years, the role of the Norwegian facilitators in Sri Lanka's peace process has steadily increased. In mid-March, at the latest round of peace talks, held in Japan, the government and the LTTE agreed to strengthen the mandate of the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). This was to safeguard the ceasefire agreement on the ground from clashes between the two forces, which have often proved fatal. The SLMM's presence has helped to defuse tensions that might otherwise build up. By risking the lives of its members, and by making impartial rulings, the SLMM has won the respect of the two parties.
But, fortunately or unfortunately, the Norwegian-led international monitors have not been more active in identifying those responsible for violations and penalising them. On the one hand, there is a desire that guilty parties be apprehended and punished. On the other hand, the peace process needs to move forward. The mandate of the monitors has so far been a limited one. It does not entitle the SLMM to act as a court of law, making judgments and handing down punishments. This is because the ceasefire signed by the government and the LTTE is a voluntary agreement. There is no external authority that can enforce it.
Despite this notable weakness, the ceasefire has held for over a year and yielded positive benefits to the island's people. This is why the vast majority of Sri Lankans strongly support it, as indicated by numerous public opinion polls. At the latest round of talks, the LTTE's expressed willingness to have all-party local government elections in the north and east indicated a forward movement in the democratisation process. The overall success of the ceasefire agreement is evidence that the Norwegians have played an invaluable role.