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| Wednesday, 2 April 2003 |
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Peace child - battered but breathing... Peace in Sri Lanka is a fragile 12-month- old baby with many a stepfather and stepmother harassing the life out of it. A dogged midwife in the form of the Prime Minister has risked his reputation and political future on the peace child. Since the President in 1994 took bold steps to negotiate peace with the LTTE, she must be continually encouraged to pursue peace rather than play into the hands of those who pursue power at any cost. The Government also could look upon the suggestions of the Opposition as reasonable means to watch the LTTE, provided that the Opposition is reasonable and is rallying for peace rather than to come to power. The PM seems keen to give credit to all who would make valuable contributions to peace. This reminds me of the classic story of Don Richardson who attempted peace between two cannibalistic tribes in Papua New Guinea. The motto of the tribe was that the worst Judas would become the next chieftain. It was time honoured practice that the one who gets close to the chief would one day by some bloody subterfuge ascend the tribal throne. The two tribes would battle it out for years before one side attempts peace. After Don Richardson befriended the Sawi tribe, he understood that in that culture peace comes once in a way, if one chieftain would give away his youngest son and the other would accept and do the same. The exchanged sons become the Peace Child. But who would risk his son first with the prospect of cannibalisation awaiting the youngster? At the first sign of hostility the exchanged child would be slaughtered. That particular year, the Sawi Chieftain, under the tutelage of Don Richardson, risked his child and lasting peace was accepted, followed by total transformation of the tribes. Low Ebb It was expected that some political parties would make peace the bone of contention to wrest power. What was not understood was that families connected to the security forces would have their legitimate monthly income halved. This meant that many soldiers will not be able to pay housing loans. War related economy gave many others a legitimate livelihood. Of course, nefarious beneficiaries of war campaign day and night against peace. It is my assessment that the PM was too naive to assume that peace would be welcome for all. In effect, the public were not prepared to see peace as dividends for all. In addition, the ever empty stomachs speak louder than the benefits of peace which the common man cannot enjoy when he is starving. The Government is woefully slow in giving people economic redress. So the criticism that peace is a slogan used to cover up slow (or no) immediate help on the cost of living sticks like a sore thumb in the face of the Government. Since the immediate problems remain unsolved, the detractors are able to convince the masses that Peace is also illusive and is a political stunt. This Government does not speak to the people at all. There has to be more potent way that the Government explains to the people that SL has no money to fight the war against a well funded LTTE machinery. The criticism for this would be that the Government has money for a humongous cabinet. Yet we know that the war needs more money than that. It has not been adequately explained that it is vital for the SL Government to attempt peace even if she fails, so that the international community will be on the side of the SL Government. Ten years ago SL had money to fight and win an honest war. Now it is not so. Even if the USA funds SL, one is concerned about the geo-political impact and even the morality of where we get landed, if Uncle Sam is our military benefactor. Certainly USA war planes will have to be given landing rights in any war with Iraq or anyone else. It is to the credit of the PM that he balanced things delicately and well when he leased the Trincomalee oil tanks to Indians. The benefit of this must be explained loud and clear. The far reaching good things that have been done must be explained to the common people whose immediate problems remained unsolved and accentuated. Economics and war Money is not the only lack that necessitates peace talks. Fifty thousand deserters are ample testimony to why we need to make peace work. If not conscription will be inevitable. For most who are vociferous about this peace being a fraud, the expectation is that some rural mother's son would fight and die in a trench in the Vanni, for them to feel honourable rather than have this "undignified" peace. The greatest inducement to peace as far as the LTTE is concerned is USA's anti terror war. Whether USA will be this committed with another President one does not know. So peace for SL has this significant window of opportunity which Ranil Wickremesinghe has grabbed with both hands. It would be good if all ministers vocally support peace without leaving it to the PM and a few others. There is a palpable inertia and inaction on the part of many ministers regarding peace and their own ministerial portfolios. The PM greatly errs by leaving them to their devices. People must be educated about those who desire chaos in order to gain power. When vital small problems are not solved, detractors of the Govt are able to convince the people that nothing is being solved and that the Peace Child itself is an impending abortus. The Govt has created too many disgruntled people by not attending on small issues quickly. Goodwill is a precious commodity that cannot be easily purchased once lost. The greatest beneficiaries of peace are the citizens of the Jaffna Peninsula. They must be strengthened to democratically express their collective will. In some incidents, the Jaffna people did not tow the LTTE line. It is a sad reality that there is no democratic Tamil Political party that will speak for the people of Jaffna. The representatives are understandably subservient to the LTTE. Might speaks louder than right. The humble gratitude of the long repressed Jaffna people may be the PM's lasting tribute even if peace fails. However the Government has to be vigilant about the ill effects (in the form of greater LTTE pressure) that have come to the Eastern province because of the MOU. Collective will Lasting Peace is the fruit of the collective psyche of the nation. If the majority in the nation ask for war, war we shall have. The PM has almost been clapping for peace with one hand. LTTE's intransigence cannot be the reason to return to war. Intransigent and difficult they have been always. Opponents of peace have been criticising the MOU, SLMM and the peace process as if the process is between two equal partners. It is not between two equal partners. LTTE is a terror mongering organisation which has to be taught the ways of peace by a duly elected Government. If previous Governments had militarily eliminated the LTTE, the present PM would not have this unenviable task for negotiating peace for the people while being much maligned by warmongers in the South and tested on edge by the LTTE looking for any excuse to prove that the Sinhala Government never was and is not interested in peace for the Tamils. Unfortunately, the last two decades have made it that the most vocal and forceful Tamil representatives do not first opt for democracy. It is this unequal and apparently "unwanted" peace that the PM is bartering with his entire political future at stake. He deserves our ungrudging support. If the two races continue to berate each the other for the tragedy Sri Lanka is, we shall never have peace. A little mea culpa is necessary for peace to have a chance. Whose accountability is it that, the Government has to negotiate for Peace with the LTTE? How were the moderate Chelvanayagams treated? Face it now - Do you want peace or a return to war? War will involve more deaths and peace would involve compromise. Are you saying death rather than compromise? Count the cost for your son who will die from a shrapnel in a trench in the Vanni. Or do you say, it will not be my son who will die. Is it why you decry peace? Raising the anti Peace trump card to gain political power is akin to eating curd with the razor blade. (dali pihiyen kiri kanawa wage) DR. SURINDA FERNANDO Another side to the case of the Chinese fishing vessel Due to the ignorance and low level of literacy, we in Sri Lanka, keep on talking of a fishing boat as a 'Trawler', which is meant only for operating one kind of gear known as a trawlnet that is used for catching fish at the bottom of the sea or the so-called 'Rockfish' in English and 'gal malu' in Sinhalese. Was the vessel fishing within Sri Lankan waters (EEZ; 200 miles from shore) or in the International waters outside that? This is very important to determine because, the Government has a policy decision that they will not issue licence to foreign vessels to take any fish inside the Sri Lankan waters (EEZ). Secondly, was the concerned vessel involved in fishing for rockfish or for large pelagics (tunas and pelagic sharks)? This is important because BOI has been approving foreign vessels to fish for large pleagics, strictly outside the Sri Lankan EEZ. If it was for Rockfish, then the fishery would have been possible only inside the EEZ and did BOI approve such a project? Thirdly, the vessel was flying a Sri Lankan Flag. What was the legal agreement on the flag to be flown by this vessel? This is important because flying a Sri Lanka flag would mean it is operated by Sri Lanka, as a Sri Lankan vessel and that the catch is legally considered as fish caught by Sri Lanka, landed in Sri Lanka and declared as catch of Sri Lanka catch, for all statistical and production purposes. If it is a foreign vessel permitted only to use Sri Lankan bases for storage and transhipping, then the question whether they should have been flying their own national flag arises. If this was agreed to by the BOI, then it becomes a vessel flying a "flag of convenience" and the implication of such projects on the rights of Sri Lankan fishermen and as well as the impacts of it on the national fisheries, arises. The enquiry to identify those responsible for the damage caused to the vessel and the crew, should continue. At the same time, the BOI and the Ministry of Fisheries, should release the details of the licence issued and also to consider if there is any violation of the terms and conditions of the licence that necessitates legal action against the Chinese company. The hue and cry from the company or the Embassy, should not be allowed to overshadow the problems and issue arising from the legal aspects of the licence and the operation of the vessel concerned. If the approval granted by the BOI and the Fisheries Ministry was improper, then immediate action should be taken to rectify that. S.R. MOTHA, Pope John Paul II and Lenten Penetential Way of the Cross In the forty days before Good Friday, Catholics pray the Way of the Cross which signifies the events from the condemnation of Jesus by Pilate up to the death on the Cross. Down the ages, the fourteen stations so observed included the three falls of the Lord (in the third, fifth and seventh stations), the wiping of the face of Jesus by Veronica and some others which, the present Pope, John Paul II, some years ago, did away with on grounds that such events had no Bibilical support. He included, in their place, some others e.g. the denial of Peter, the Scourging and the Crown of thorns etc and a Fifteenth, the Resurrection. We in Sri Lanka, have so far failed to fall in line with these changes made by the Pope. No doubt, these old practices die hard and changes in the liturgy that do not affect the dogmas or canons of the church are very difficult of observance as has been the experience after Vatican II in 1962. The liturgical experts perhaps should give their minds to the changes as all Catholics would wish to follow the Holy Father. R. J. N. (MAURICE) JORDON, According to recent news reports and Government statements it appears that Sri Lanka, in the foreseeable future, is to be blessed with a comprehensive network of expressways, highways and byways - indeed laudable, long overdue and necessary for facilitating social mobity and economic development. However, my particular interest is in the Marine Drive. Work on this project which had slowly but surely advanced up to Jaya Road, Bambalapitiya by the end of 2001 - has been at a complete standstill for over a year. The sides of the roadway and vacant lots on the reservation have become dumping grounds for garbage and rubble from construction sites. Does it not make sense to complete what is already begun before it deteriorates completely? Could the Ministry, RDA, CMC or any other relevant authority kindly enlighten the public as to - (a) What is holding up work on the Marine Drive if land has been acquired and compensation paid? (b) When is work on the Marine Drive scheduled to recommence? (c) Has the project been abandoned altogether? The benefits of a road parallel to Galle Road and Duplication Road is easing traffic congestion, providing alternate parking and access to the seaside lanes from Wellawatte to Kollupitiya are all too obvious. It is to be hoped that no narrow personal, political or religious interests will be allowed to come in the way of its completion. NPF, |
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