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Appealing to the country's conscience

The Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera's impassioned appeal in parliament on Tuesday for undivided backing for the Government's peace effort, points to the positive role the clergy of all faiths in this country could play in realising national reconciliation, peace and unity.

The Ven. Thera who created parliamentary history by being the first Buddhist monk to enter the local legislature, measured up superbly to the crucial role cast on all men of peace and goodwill at this important juncture of the country's history, by calling on his countrymen to throw their weight behind the on-going peace process.

It is vital to remember that choosing between good and evil is a matter of conscience. We are conscience-bound to back all earnest efforts at realising peace because working for peace represents good while waging war spreads evil and ill-will. The cessation of hostilities agreement may seem to contain grey areas in the eyes of some but this is no reason why the peace effort as such should be condemned and rejected and even for that matter, the ceasefire agreement itself.

As Ven. Samitha exhorted, we are conscience-bound to back the MoU and the peace process in general while discussing the controversial areas of the cessation of hostilities agreement, with a view to making them acceptable to all well-meaning sections.

Resorting to mindless criticism of the accord, out of petty political concerns, is a gross violation of the spirit of goodwill and a dangerous promotion of evil. Thus, all sections of society which are desirous of doing good, should consider it obligatory to back the peace process. Ven. Samitha's heart cry in parliament for a united peace effort helps focus on these little examined but fundamental aspects of working towards peace. In the process, he has also emphasized the principal tenets of Buddhism.

In a timely reminder, Ven. Samitha drew our attention to past failed attempts at evolving a political solution to the ethnic conflict. The Bandaranaike - Chelvanayagam pact and the Dudley-Chelvanayagam pact were referred to. What wrecked these important peace initiatives of the past was rank political opportunism. Are ill-intentioned critics of the present peace effort seeking the same result?

The dire consequences of allowing these chances for peace to go abegging are all too plain to see. We have been saddled with only bloodshed and war. Are the critics of the present accord seeking to perpetuate this history of discord and misery?

Certainly, peace should not be brought at any cost but disagreements and areas of conflict in the peace process should be resolved in a constructive spirit of goodwill between the main parties to the conflict, including those who disagree with the Government. It is best to remember that destructive criticism of the peace process would only help perpetuate death and suffering.

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