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| Sunday, 15 September 2002 |
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Fate of peace depends on world peoples by Elmo leonard It was the peoples of the world who could finally make or mar peace, Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe said, after he inaugurated a 'Peace in Sri Lanka website,' for the Peace Secretariat in Colombo, Monday, last week. The Prime Minister in his speech was confident that most people in Sri Lanka, other than a few fanatics, would favour the peace process. This process, he said would not have been possible, if not for the efforts of the Royal Norwegian Government, India, USA, UK, to name a few countries. To maintain the momentum of Sri Lanka's peace process, it was necessary for the nation to communicate with the foreign media, the international community and the Sri Lankan diaspora, the Premier said. He invited the public to use the website, "to challenge and criticise us and to consolidate the peace process." The website, is a pioneering project of the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP). SCOPP, was established in February this year with the approval of Cabinet, and functions in the Prime Minister's office. At the launch, Director General of SCOPP, Bernard Goonetilleke, said that the mandate of SCOPP encompassed some key areas relating to the peace process. It included co-ordinating the implementation of decisions of the government of Sri Lanka on the peace process, monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between the government and the LTTE, providing research and logistical support for the Government delegation in the political negotiations with LTTE, liaising with government ministries, departments, institutions, the armed forces and police, UN agencies, international humanitarian organisations and national and international NGOs, in matters pertaining to the peace process. Goonetilleke went on to say that the mandate of SCOPP also covers communication and dissemination of information on issues relating to the peace process. Communication being an integral element of peace making, SCOPP was committed to communicating issues related to the peace process to the national and international media and the general public. Thus, SCOPP has established a communications unit, and would converse with as many stakeholders as possible on all aspects of the peace process. Sri Lanka's peace procedure, was of interest to a wide audience including the international community, international media and Sri Lankans living at home and abroad, Goonetilleke said. The website is aimed at providing information as accurately and unemotionally as possible. It features the history of the peace process, background information on the peace process and information on the latest happenings on the peace process. The website also features new articles on the peace process from local and international sources. These articles would be updated daily. Thus, the website would be an authoritative medium from which other websites, news articles and photographs relating to the peace process could be sources. Goonetillake said that the quality and usefulness of the website would depend on the feedback received. He called on all citizens to make their comments, views and suggestions. A section titled `your views' has been provided in the Website for visitors to post their views. Goonetillake, invited all to join in as stakeholders in the development of the website, and communicate on the Sri Lanka peace process. |
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