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Climbing-down from the brink

The news that the UNF and the PA have opted for a compromise in their long, tense standoff over the 19th Amendment is bound to be greeted by the public with a sigh of relief. They are likely to be glad that the chief protagonists in this power struggle are finally talking with the aim of resolving the political deadlock which even threatened to pave the way for violent discord and anarchy.

In an action which has brought a welcome respite in the tug-of-war between the President and the Cabinet, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has acceded to the President's request to grant her more time to put forward her views on the 19th Amendment to the constitution. If not for this development, the Government would have gone ahead with gazetting the Amendment on Tuesday, with a view to presenting it to parliament on September 11th. If this did not happen, the stage would have been set for a political confrontation of daunting proportions.

However, the country couldn't be considered to be out of the woods and we hope the spirit of compromise and accommodation which has just begun to manifest itself would flower further. Besides having at heart the national interest, both sides to the confrontation would do well to be guided by democratic principles in resolving their differences. It is true that the much lamented 1978 constitution is a complex hybrid of two governing systems but the country never deviated from the aim of being democratic and free. Accordingly, the people are likely to hope that the UNF and the PA would be guided by the highest democratic principles in this exacting crisis. What would have to be shunned at all costs, is the arbitrary use of political power and constitutional arrangements which would facilitate this.

It is all too obvious that the popular yearning is for peace and stability. This just aspiration needs to be granted by rulers, completely disregarding in the process, short term political gain which would mean nothing for the broad masses.

The criticality of the present moment in the affairs of the State needs to be borne in mind by both the President and the Government. The same considerations should weigh heavily with the principal parties. Barring a few jaundiced and disgruntled sections, most citizens warmly welcome the on-going peace process. Very soon, the first round of talks would get under way in Thailand. It is a moment every right-thinking, sane person has been waiting for.

A fierce bout of internal political instability would severely undermine these positive developments and bring sadness and mourning to the people. The likely overall result from these drawbacks would be a huge leap backwards by the country into grave uncertainty and instability.

This situation should be avoided at all costs and we hope the main parties would think deeply on these things.

It is easy to destroy but laboriously difficult to create. Already in the political arena, highly strung persons, motivated by manic destructiveness, are up and about. Crushing the peace effort is their prime aim. Needless to say, these sinister designs need to be defeated. For, the future of the country is at stake. Any tendency to obstruct the peace effort of the Government would only be a fillip to these evil doers.

One is either for or against peace. There is no intermediate position. Any attempt at quibbling meaninglessly on sensitive issues in the peace process would only help those who are seeking a return to war and discord.

However, the parties to the current round of political tensions need to engage each other in a constructive and fruitful discourse. In such an atmosphere it is possible to iron out many a difference in a spirit of cordiality.

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