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Bold espousal of peace

In perhaps one of her most inspired moments as Head of State and Government, President Kumaratunga has pledged afresh to take Sri Lanka to the hitherto unrealized dawn of peace, through devolution of power. It is her conviction that 80 percent of Lankans would opt or peace based on power devolution, if a referendum were to be held today. On this point she is even willing to wager the presidentship. She is even willing to lay down her life in the cause of a peace based on power devolution, the President went on to explain to the recently concluded SLFP Women's Conference, held in Colombo.

Thus has the President virtually placed her cards on the table. The two major political parties of the South - the SLFP and the UNP - which are for a peace based on power-sharing, command around 80 percent of the popular vote. They overwhelmingly outnumber those who vociferously yell "foul" at a negotiated political solution based on power-sharing. In fact these detractors number around 20 percent or are even smaller in number.

Thus the people's power is with the President. So great is this power at her disposal that she is in a position to even say "be gone" to those sections who are opposing a negotiated political solution. It is this substantial popular support base which would keep the Government intact and ticking throughout a negotiating phase.

This bold espousal of the cause of peace by the President is most welcome. The time has come for the decision - makers of the country to indicate in no uncertain terms their position on the issues which have been bleeding this country white. The President is on record as saying that the Government is committed to implementing the Oslo Declaration. As is well known, this Declaration, essentially, prefigures the establishment of a degree of political autonomy for the North-East, within, of course, a united and geographically intact and whole Sri Lanka. A negotiated settlement based on power devolution, in other words.

However, it is not only the President who needs to commit herself to a self-sacrificial spirit. All those desirous of a negotiated peace, need to do so. This is particularly true of the UNP, which, along with the PA, are the only national political parties from the South, worth speaking of. Together, these parties represent majority opinion in Southern Sri Lanka. In fact they could be said to represent the "moral majority".

The UNP, therefore, is obliged to back the President's peace moves, without falling for the self-destructive impulse of political opportunism.

The President has done well to unambiguously broach the issues that matter, in public fora. This awareness - creating exercise needs to be taken forward. The people, wherever they may be, should be alerted to the choices at hand. Their knowledge of the gut issues in the conflict should be increased steadily. This is a task for the Government. We cannot afford to be complacent that all will be well, by only making a few token gestures toward peace. This would amount to cultivating a sense of irresponsibility which is likely to backfire.

Special efforts should be made by the State from now on, to build a considerable and substantial pro-peace consensus in the land.