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Vital pledge of support

Our front page picture yesterday of the launching of the second leg of the Peace Marathon to Jaffna in Kandy town, with a number of prominent religious dignitaries in attendance, including the Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkhitha, Maha Nayaka Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter, should have gladdened many a heart.

Our report said that the Ven. Maha Nayake Thera had pledged the support of the Maha Sangha to the Government's peace effort and had blessed the Peace Marathon, which takes the South's message of peace and goodwill to the people of the North.

This is the message sent out loud and clear that the most prominent Buddhist prelates of the land are solidly behind the peace process. This could be considered one of the most significant milestones on the road to peace. Since they exert a strong influence on the thinking of the majority community, it is vitally important that the support of the Maha Sangha is enlisted by political leaders who are desirous of pushing forward the peace process.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has succeeded in achieving this vital aim. From the very inception of the peace effort, it became obvious that the Prime Minister was keen on keeping every important opinion moulding personality and group informed and updated about the moves the Government was making. Thus was close and effective rapport established among these major actors, besides lending added transparency to the peace process. The end result is the building of mutual trust among these parties. It shouldn't come as a surprise, therefore, that a prominent Buddhist prelate should strongly support the peace process.

With the lending of such vital support it could be said that the establishment of a Southern consensus on resolving the ethnic question has been further solidified. Needless to say, it is such a consensus which would compel the LTTE to negotiate a political solution in earnest. There would be, of course, some extremists in the South, who would be continually crying "foul" at the peace moves. Such opinion, at present, is in the minority. They could be allowed to cry themselves hoarse in the political wilderness.

The crucial task, however, is to consolidate support for the peace process among the moderate majority. The Maha Sangha's support of the peace effort is certain to act as a fillip in this process of enlarging the "peace constituency". Keeping communication channels open among vital segments of the population and the State, should receive the priority attention of the Government.

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