A commendable decision

The decision by the Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s to extend his party’s fullest cooperation to implement the 13th amendment to the Constitution would be hailed by all Lankans who have the country’s future well being at heart.

It has been the perennial clamour by all active civic groups, particularly the intelligentsia, professional organisations not to mention the religious establishment for unity among the country’s two major political parties at least in tackling the burning issues of the country.

It was only the other day the importance of this was driven home by the Archbishop of Colombo the Rt.Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis at an Inter Religious conclave, which was endorsed by all clerics present.

Yesterday’s main picture of President Rajapaksa and the Opposition Leader splashed across the front pages of all national newspapers would no doubt have raised the hopes of the majority of our citizenry who are for ending the country’s fractious politics which retarded the progress and advancement of the country.

True, political diversity is an integral feature of representative democracy where pluralism is an essential ingredient giving way to healthy political rivalry and the right to criticise one’s opponent.

But most people would agree that the political discourse had degenerated to abysmal depths particularly since the 1970’s, leading to division of Lankan society on sharp political lines.

The acrimonious and bitterly contentious nature of the country’s politics had also seeped into every field of endeavour leading to friction, debasing the polity.

It is in this light that the decision by the Opposition leader to extend his cooperation to arrive at a solution to the country’s most debilitating problem deserves to be viewed.

The 13th Amendment as the country is aware is the baby of the UNP that of course was fathered by India and the party has no reason to jettison its own creation merely for political reasons.

This, apart from throwing it open to criticism and accusations of bad grace would also place the party in the public dock as a ‘spoiler’ for withdrawing support for a solution that is adopted out of its “own book”.

Besides there is no basis for the party to oppose a piece of legislation that is already in the statue books. True the LTTE has rejected the 13th Amendment from the outset and on the last occasion was demanding an ISGA which is tantamount to a de-facto separate State, which no Government would concede.

India too has indicated that the 13th Amendment is a sound basis for a solution while it is also the constant refrain of the international community that the country’s two major parties should get together to work out a reasonable solution that would meet the aspirations of all communities.

What has been lacking all though out has been a consensus by the two protagonists in setting about these tasks. This is why it is incumbent that both the Government and the Opposition work together at least on this score.

A combined front would also obviate the need for time consuming Committees and speed up the process in arriving at a solution.

The forging of an alliance to tackling the national question too may have come at an opportune time when the demand for a speedy solution to the ethnic problem is gathering momentum with the Co-chairs and could form a bulwark against separatist forces who may have been emboldened by the developments in Kosovo.

It is incumbent therefore that both the Government and the Opposition make use of this opportunity forge a healthy working relationship to surmount the challenges before us and relegate politics to the backburner at least until the country emerges from the current imbroglio.