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No need for pessimism

Those sections of the public desirous of seeing positive action on resolving the gravest problem facing Sri Lanka - the ethnic conflict - are likely to be encouraged by the interest the Government is taking in making the peace process a priority issue on its agenda. Particularly welcome is a statement by former Minister Mangala Samaraweera that the Memorandum of Understanding arrived at between the Government and the JVP would in no way stand in the way of promoting the peace process and bringing the LTTE to the negotiating table.

Meanwhile, in an equally encouraging development, the PA delegation to the recent PA-UNP talks has called for the issuing of a joint appeal by the government and the UNP to the LTTE, inviting it to enter into peace negotiations with the Government. This is a sequel to the agreement between the PA and UNP delegations at the deliberations aimed at bringing about reconciliation that the two sides should issue a joint appeal to the LTTE calling on it to re-enter peace talks in the event of an overall agreement being arrived at because both the PA and the UNP had seen the need for a negotiated political settlement to the ethnic issue.

These are positive indications that peace continues to be a number one priority for the Government. No less a person than President Kumaratunga has been quoted saying that the Government is now in a stronger position to take up the challenges facing the country - prime among these being the ethnic conflict. The onus is, therefore on the UNP to prove its sincerity on the ethnic issue, by collaborating with the Government on accelerating the peace process. Thus far sections among the opposition have been paying lip service to the need to resolve the conflict. The time is ripe for these words to be translated into action.

It would be relevant to point out that there are no grounds for the dooms day scenarios that are being conjured in some quarters over the ethnic issue and its reconciliation, in the context of the Government - JVP Memorandum of Understanding. The MoU states that the PA has agreed not to bring up over the next year, proposals for power devolution and other controversial measures aimed at bringing national reconciliation unless and until a broad consensus has been arrived at over their acceptability among all segments of society. Obviously, this is no ban on initiating peace moves. What is being prevented is the implementation of a solution to the conflict without the approval of the people, which condition is self-evidently fair and democratic.

It is apparent therefore that the national dialogue on a suitable peace formula could go on and that the Government and the opposition could redouble efforts to arrive at a negotiated political settlement.

United action between the Government and the UNP could prevent the LTTE from undermining the peace process by playing one party against the other. It should be noted that the LTTE shunned the peace process over the past couple of months not because the Government showed reluctance to forge ahead with it but because it expected another party to come to power amid the political uncertainty. A united peace effort by the Government and the UNP, however, would leave the Tigers with no choice but to negotiate.

• Editorial of  The Observer - JVP on probation 7.9.2001:
  

• Voice of the Sinhala and Tamil Media
  Editorials from Sinhala and Tamil Newspapers
  of 7.9.2001

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