The message from Trincomalee

The decision by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission to suspend operations in the Trincomalee District is a pointer to the price the country may have to pay in security terms, for continuing LTTE intransigence. The magnitude of the security crisis enveloping Trincomalee is cogently brought out in SLMM chief Hagrup Haukland's reaction: "We are here to monitor a ceasefire and not war."

That things are getting too hot for the SLMM itself was brought out in the most disquieting fashion a couple of days back when a bomb blast occurred in the premises of the SLMM office in Batticaloa. We hope President Mahinda Rajapakse's directives to the defence authorities for an expeditious probe into this incident would be complied with and the whole truth duly bared.

It is all too obvious that the LTTE's frenetic efforts to plunge the country into a state of war are jeopardising even the functions of the SLMM. This is, after all, the first occasion on which the SLMM has suspended its operations in a specific region. It is an admission that the security situation in the Trincomalee district has degenerated steadily and may be even beyond repair.

We hope the world community would take note of the increasingly bleak situation in Trincomalee and initiate appropriate measures to remedy it. The increasing LTTE attacks on the Sri Lanka Navy presence in the district is proof that the LTTE is straining every monstrous nerve to return the country to war.

This much is clear and the expectation among the peace-loving public is likely to be that the Lanka peace process Co-Chairs in particular would compel the LTTE to see the wisdom in negotiating a peaceful settlement.

Fortunately for Sri Lanka, the country's armed forces have shown commendable restraint in the face of these provocative acts. The country would have plunged into war long ago, if not for the restrained conduct of the armed forces and we call on the latter to continue in this vein. The professionalism of the armed forces throws into great relief the destructive intent of the Tigers and serves the State in good stead in the effort to get world opinion on to its side.

Meanwhile, every effort must be made to rejuvenate the peace process and we could be glad that the search for that hitherto elusive Southern consensus is getting underway today on the initiative of President Rajapakse. There are certainly no quick fixes to this conflict but we hope maximum flexibility and a capacity for compromise would be shown by the Southern polity.

In view of the fast-deteriorating security situation in the East, all legitimate avenues must be explored to induce the Tigers into treading the path of negotiations.

Ideally, specific time frames must be evolved for the conduct of talks because aimless negotiations usually spur disenchantment, suspicion and eventually renewed violence.

Let's not forget that Trincomalee has always proved to be a hotbed of conflict. This is on account of its complex ethnic mix. Likewise, violence overlooked in the District usually escalates into uncontainable destruction. We hope this time round enlightened thinking will prevail in all quarters.