Say 'no' to opportunistic politics

We hope our front page colour picture yesterday of a Southern farmer joyfully sifting an abundant paddy harvest had the effect of reminding the local polity of the numerous material rewards which await the people of this country if the peace effort is fast-tracked and sustained.

Come to be popularly known as the "peace dividend", these economic benefits would prove substantial if the upcoming ceasefire talks do the needful by stabilising the cessation of hostilities which was formalised four years ago but was subsequently observed more in the breach by the LTTE.

One of the principal, palpable benefits of the Ceasefire Agreement was the flourishing of some of our paddy tracts of the North-Central and Eastern Provinces, which were at one time responsible for Sri Lanka being crowned with the title "Rice bowl of the East".

Needless to say, these gains of ancient Lanka were squandered in our post independence years in particular on account of the opportunistic policies pursued by some of our politicians. The "Rice bowl of the East" was soon reduced to a dust bowl which breathed misery and torment for most of its inhabitants.

All this is, of course, history but it is important that we recollect the ravages and painful discontents of conflict and war. Besides valuable lives and destroyed futures, a principal casualty of armed conflict and bloodshed is economic prosperity.

Consequently, food self-sufficiency and security are dangerously and seriously undermined. This has also been part of our lot and a degree of collective well being awaits us if the State-LTTE ceasefire - strengthening talks in Geneva yield positive results and current antagonisms are stilled.

While an accommodative attitude on the part of both parties to the conflict and a realistic appraisal of each others legitimate needs by the State and the LTTE could help in shoring-up a stable ceasefire, the rest of the Lankan polity too could contribute towards strengthening this process by calling a halt - at least temporarily - to their petty political wars.

That there is a near consensus among the foremost political actors in Southern Sri Lanka on the need to push ahead towards peace is a happy consequence of the approach President Mahinda Rajapakse has adopted towards resolving the conflict.

It is proof that the correct approach to resolving the conflict is to first bring about unity of perception and attitude in the Southern polity. President Rajapakse achieved this to a considerable degree by consulting with the numerous political forces of Southern Sri Lanka before going for ceasefire-stabilising talks.

It is not realised sufficiently that today no major political actor of the South advocates war as a means of resolving our conflict. Neither is there marked opposition to the State talking to the Tigers.

Such advances in perception are a result of the Mahinda Rajapakse administration seeking a consensus of opinion in Southern Sri Lanka on ending the conflict by political means.

What needs to be done next is to refrain from resorting to opportunistic politics. We hope the opposition would get this message loud and clear. Let political squabbles be a thing of the past.