|
|
|
  |
| Sunday, 20 February 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
An Icelander among the ceasefire monitors : Savouring the difference * Ceasefire three years old on Tuesday by Ananth Palakidnar Serving as a ceasefire monitor in a war-torn country is a challenge for any person. So imagine a woman holding the peace between two previously warring factions. Better still, imagine the woman as being from a country that has no army, navy or air force and no police personnel who carry any form of weapon.
Incongruous! You got it. But Helen Maria Olafsdottir, the Icelandic spokesperson of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission shrugs off the incongruity as a `non - event' and instead describes her job as `exciting'. Her bubbly effervescence,her ready smile and the joy she exudes with every utterance about her stay in Sri Lanka testifies to this sense of `excitement'. It is there when she talks about her visit to the North and East,the many forays into local restaurants and even when she describes her attempts to cross the Galle Road." "I have been to war-torn areas of the North and East which is far safer than attempting to cross the Galle Road, which is a death trap," she says somewhat humorously. Given her genial nature it's easy talking to Helen.But the sense of incongruity lingers on. Iceland, as history reveals, is the land of the Vikings. And you expect someone blond, big-boned and gruff toned. But Helen is almost petite in build, has shoulder length black hair, and loves to talk. Possessing an adventures spirit, Helen was working as a freelance journalist in Afghanistan prior to her posting to Sri Lanka in December last year. "When I got the opportunity to serve with the Ceasefire Monitoring Mission in Sri Lanka, I thought it was going to be something very similar to Afghanistan. But when I assumed my duties with the SLMM, I experienced a very different atmosphere altogether", she says, describing Afghanistan as a country that is a throw back to another era. "It was something like living in the stone age. It is not only the Afghan terrain, even the people are rugged. The continuous war and the landlocked geographical conditions have made the Afghans live a hard life. Illiteracy is terrible. Only 40 per cent of the men could read and write in the whole of Afghanistan. The quality of living is horrible. Water is limited. There is hardly any electricity. The conflict in Afghanistan is among the tribes. Until very recently, the women were treated brutally and their rights were suppressed. Being brought up in a liberal and developed surrounding in Iceland it was very difficult for me to adjust as a woman in such an environment. But, I was able to live and experience the war-torn conditions, which a woman of my country would rarely get," says Helen who spent 10 `agonizing' months there. Speaking of her job as a ceasefire monitor, Helen is full of praise for the armed forces and the LTTE cadres who have been observing the ceasefire, and are about to celebrate a landmark third anniversary on February 22. "Both sides behave well with great understanding. They look refined and civilized in the manner in which they conduct themselves. I know Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with rich cultural heritage. But my job is of a different nature. Here I have met the LTTE's political wing leader, S. P. Thamilselvan and several of their senior cadres. I have also met several personnel from the armed forces. All of them are giving their best towards observing the ceasefire," she says. She describes the Sri Lankan conflict as having three communities (Sinhala, Tamils, Muslims) who have now understood the futility of holding on to their differences and are hoping to reach a peaceful solution. Even after the recent tsunami, the people from the devastated areas have started to adjust themselves to the situation and are now involved in rehabilitation and reconstruction activities "she says, adding "I did not find this positive approach towards life in Afghanistan. Even the Muslims in Sri Lanka are far different from the Afghan Muslims. Here in Sri Lanka, the Muslims behave in a more cultured and flexible manner. They follow their religion, but mingle with other communities in a friendly manner. In Sri Lanka the Muslims are more accommodating than what I had seen in Afghanistan" she says. Topic hopping from Afghanistan to Sri Lanka, herself and Iceland, Helen, who is all of 29 years and holds a Masters in International Relations and Development from the university Bristol, United Kingdom and another from the prestigious London school of Economics where she was a student of Professor Razeen Sally, who is half Welsh and half Sri Lankan, describes Iceland as a `wonderland ', as it possesses a plenty of unique geographical features. Iceland covers a land area of 103,000 kilo meters and has a population of 300,000. The first settlement began in 874 AD and the language now spoken dates back to the year thousand and is not influenced by any neighbouring language. "The British are proud to claim Westminster as the oldest and as the `Mother of all Parliaments', but they are wrong. The Parliamentary system in Iceland began in 930 A D and it is the oldest in the world", claims Helen, proud of her Icelandic heritage. Iceland is a country that has no trees, though measures have been taken recently to plant some. "Until recently,the Icelanders were not that much aware about Sri Lanka, but with the involvement of the Nordic countries in the ceasefire monitoring Icelanders have started learning about Sri Lanka. Some of my friends even came for their honeymoon to Sri Lanka. A newspaper article on Sri Lanka's politics, culture and even the country's situation after tsunami appeared in detail last week" Helen reveals. Showing her computer loaded with rare pictures of Iceland, Helen explains that hot water springs are found everywhere in her country. "Being situated close to the Arctic, it is freezing all the time, but our homes and work places are heated from these hot springs. We have hydro power in abundance as we have waterfalls all over the country. The waters from the glaciers, crystal clear, are considered medicinal and Icelanders believe that the waters from the glaciers keeps them young. The economy of Iceland mainly depends on fishing, but only 5 per cent of the people are involved in fishing with hi-tech fishing facilities," she says this describing the country's economy as being on a sound footing. An only child of a marine engineer father and a hotelier mother, Helen was born and lived most of her life in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Helen says she is constantly in touch with her parents as they are aware of the nature of her job." They are relaxed, calm and speak to me encouragingly. The Iceland is placed in the volcanic belt in the region. "Geographically there are several volcanoes located in Iceland. But they are not active. In 2000, there was a mild eruption which was measured at 6.5 on the Richter scale. Hundred years ago, there were bigger eruptions but they were as destructive as the recent tsunami in the South East asian region" she says. Helen who likes to get adventurous with her food says Sri Lankan cuisine is very hot but very tasty." You have excellent restaurants with varieties of food. Climatic conditions, beaches, mountains, forests and rivers are marvellous.Once peace is created in Sri Lanka, the country would become a true paradise," she predicts. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
