Friday, 13 June 2003  
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The economic dimension in peace

The conferring of the Time's 2003 "Asian Heroes" special award on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, close on the heels of the successful conclusion of the Tokyo donor conference, which opened vast, rich possibilities for Sri Lanka, exemplifies the close link between peace and development.

Although the Time's "Asian Heroes" award should be considered a signal honour bestowed on the Lankan Premier, it also helps focus world attention on Sri Lanka and the worthy role the majority of the people of this country have been playing in supporting the peace process and in generating the moral climate which would steadfastly nurture it. However, there is no gainsaying the fact that the Premier has played a key catalytic role in initiating the current peace process and in helping to realise the people's peace dream.

Although a stable peace could be considered a long distance away at this point in time, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe's bold initiative to find peace by peaceful means and his heady attempt to swim against the tide of political opportunism, have enabled many a Lankan to entertain in her or his heart, the hope of one day drinking deep at the springs of peace.

One effective way of building on this peace foundation is to enhance the economic prospects of the country. This is the reason why the possible positive fallout from the Tokyo donor conference could prove vital. The development funds which have been pledged to Sri Lanka by the world community should be obtained as quickly as possible and ploughed into the development process to enable the wide masses of the country to better their economic condition and to thereby convince themselves that their peace hopes have not been in vain.

This process of realising the pledged donor assistance by quickening the peace process, should be coupled with a stepped-up drive to usher in economic growth on an unprecedented scale.

Foreign Direct Investment is one such means to growth and the Government is doing right by trying to improve the investment climate in the country.

Besides, Sri Lanka needs to be enterprisingly marketed overseas as a safe investment centre and it is encouraging to note that the Premier took on himself this task when he addressed the Japanese investment community recently.

However, it is also important to realise that poverty has to be dealt with on a multi-pronged basis. What needs to be aimed at is not mere economic growth but equitable growth. That is, the fruits of development need to be distributed evenly among all social classes. In other words, the poor need to be empowered if development in the truest sense of the word is to be realised. Accordingly, we commend current efforts by the Ministry of Rural Economy to launch a fresh poverty alleviation drive, beginning with our villages.

It is indeed laudable of them to seek to bring the poor into the economic decision-making process. Thus will those who nurture peace hopes in their hearts be generously rewarded.

www.peaceinsrilanka.org

www.singersl.com

www.crescat.com

www.srilankaapartments.com

www.eagle.com.lk

www.helpheroes.lk


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