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Act now topromote peace

A frequent reference to nation-building by some foreign political leaders at the recent Oslo Peace Support Conference, while detailing the challenges confronting Sri Lanka, underscores the importance the international community attaches to this long-neglected and unfinished enterprise in this country. In other words, the realisation of ethnic peace in Sri Lanka couldn’t be carried out in isolation from the nation-building process, an essential project which this country is believed to have launched with the dawning of political independence in 1948.

The fundamental point is that the realisation of a just and durable peace in Sri Lanka and successful nation-building are inseparable dimensions of the same process. Nation-building could be considered as having ground to a halt in a country where ethnic equality and justice does not exist. This has been the situation in Sri Lanka over the past few decades. It is to rectify this glaring distortion, which bred a long-running, bloody war, that the UNF Government launched a fresh peace effort nine months ago. If and when a final political solution to the ethnic conflict is evolved to the satisfaction of the major parties, the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration’s effort at nation-building could be considered as having borne fruit.

The focus on nation-building at the Oslo Peace Support Forum should have helped to throw into relief, the tasks which are still to be undertaken in the peace process. The Government and the LTTE have done well to enter into a negotiatory process and are engaging each other to an unprecedented degree in working out an equitable solution. Things could be said to be progressing satisfactorily right now at the leadership level of the major parties to the conflict.

However, the phrase nation-building also suggests that ethnic peace and unity is not only an undertaking for the political and social elites of a country. It is also a matter of primary concern for the people. Unless and until vital bridges of harmony and amity are built at the grass roots level in all regions of the country, it is difficult to see the current peace process yielding all the desired positive outcomes. A political solution cannot be imposed from the “top” on the people. The political solution should be the people’s hearts’ desire and needs to win their support. This process is also referred to as a national consensus.

How is this collective desire and drive for peace being made to emerge ? Mainly by appealing to the people’s innate sense of justice and consistently conscientizing them on the merits of the peace process. Besides, the people should be galvanized and mobilized to actively contribute towards the realisation of a just peace. In other words, peace needs to be made a prime concern of the people. Peace needs to be made a possession of the people and not just an enterprise among leaders.

At this crucial juncture a duty is cast on both the Government and all pro-peace forces to constantly mobilize the people for the achievement of peace. The public should not only be educated on the finer issues in the peace process but should be also encouraged to do their bit to promote a just settlement. For instance, the people could be encouraged to form interactive bodies at the neighbourhood level among communities. North-South bridge building too could be proceeded with. Artists could be encouraged to use their media to touch people’s hearts and minds with the message of peace.

We call for this assertively proactive involvement of the Government and pro-peace groups in the mobilization of the people because the enemies of the peace process are already beginning to be articulate. They seem to be ganging together under numerous labels and banners to mislead the public. If this tendency grows, the peace process could be stymied. This is the time to act in the cause of peace.

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