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Cautious optimism before talks

There is a definite sense of relief among most members of the public that the date for the peace talks between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been fixed. The announcement by the Norwegians that the talks will take place in Thailand between the 16th and the 18th of next month signals a significant step forward in seeking a lasting solution to the national question.

The talks are just a step forward because the journey towards a lasting peace will be long and hard. All communities in this country have suffered terribly in the past 20 years of internecine war and to reach a point, at which we can all agree to live together, by building on the harsh lessons we learnt through destruction will be very tough.

To do so all communities will have to think differently. For starters we need to think of ourselves as Sri Lankans and not as members of different ethnic groups. In the same way we unite to cheer our Cricketers and our Athletes when they triumph, we must think of our collective economic growth and the safety and development of our children together and not as separate communities.

Also very importantly, there has to be a consensus, particularly among the leading political parties of the South, namely the United National Front and the People's Alliance about the aims of the talks. It is easy for one party to sabotage the other's efforts at reconciliation, but much harder to support each other in an effort to bring a solution. In our recent history both parties have taken the easy way out. To do so this time would be criminal as the country is in serious danger of economic and societal collapse if war breaks out again.

The current tussle over the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which seeks to curtail the powers of the president to dissolve parliament, is a crucial part of consensus building. The government argues that it cannot go to the talks with the threat of dismissal hanging over it. The President's spokesmen say they support the doing away with the Executive Presidency, but question why the UNF government is bringing in piecemeal changes.

When the time comes for Members of Parliament to vote on the 18th Amendment it will be important for them to realise that what they are voting for will be consensus building rather than fighting yet another skirmish in the PA-UNF battle for supremacy. These two parties are perceived by the LTTE as the Sinhala dominated Establishment, and both must show that they are solidly behind a negotiated settlement to the national question for the Tigers to take the negotiators seriously. To do so the establishment must empower the government to negotiate and ensure it is seen as being firmly placed to deliver on any pledges it has to make. This solidity will be absent if an inimical president is seen to be holding the power to dismiss the government at will.

The first round of talks is likely to focus on the stating of positions by both sides rather than a negotiation aimed at a final solution. In the failed talks that have been held between the LTTE and previous governments discussions reached this level but showed little progress thereafter. It is hoped that the Thailand meeting will produce a clear understanding of each other's stand on the core issues. The negotiators must come back with this understanding and then work out a practical offer that will be acceptable to most sections of society.

Then comes the tricky part. How much should the government offer to the LTTE and what would they settle for? Here again there has to be fresh thinking. If the LTTE insists on separation it would be impossible for the government to accede. At the same time why should the government get into a mindset about "giving" concessions to the LTTE? This is the time for a whole new way of approaching the problem to be worked out. The government, we learn, has plans to consult academics from both Sri Lanka and overseas to propose innovative and even radical new ideas as the final solution and this is a commendable course of action.

It is difficult for both sides to convince their publics that the other is genuinely interested in peace. Many thinkers in the South, with very good reason, find it hard to believe that the Tigers do want to settle the issue without further bloodshed. Many in the North and East also look at the government's peace efforts with a lot of scepticism. But in the nearly 200 days of peace that we have had since the Ceasefire came into effect, the hopes of the people of this country that there will be peace forever have risen sharply. Most do not want the country to go back to war and are enjoying the simple fact that they can travel to any part of the country they want to. This is quietly reuniting this divided nation.

These days just before the talks begin are crucial to build consensus. The political leaders must hear the pleas of the majority of the people and sort themselves out. Then both sides must be bold and think "out of the box" to find a formula which will bring a sure end to our conflict.

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