Saturday, 21 June 2003  
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Conflict management and economic development

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's Address to the Nation on Thursday evening, besides outlining in some detail the Government's future course of action as regards resolving the ethnic conflict, pointed to some new dimensions in State policy on the host of issues thrown-up by the challenge of "Regaining Sri Lanka."

While re-involving the LTTE in the negotiation process is clearly a principal challenge facing the country, and we had the assurances of Premier Wickremesinghe that the Government would be sparing no efforts to achieve this aim, no less important is the exacting enterprise of keeping the economy ticking and that of utilizing the foreign aid on offer for the development of the country in all its significant dimensions. The Prime Minister's speech read like a wake-up call to the country on the need to successfully take up these latter tasks which are integral to the flowering of the vision embodied in the "Regaining Sri Lanka" blueprint of national revival.

While mention in the Premier's speech of the establishment of an Interim Administrative Council for the North-East with the consensus of the LTTE, points to the enduring flexibility of the State in its relations with the LTTE, the underscoring of the importance of ensuring the rights of other communities, under this dispensation, highlights the commitment of the Government to democratic principles. The chief strength of the Premier's address consisted in his ability to underline the interdependence between these political issues and the larger process of stepping-up and sustaining economic growth in the country on an equitable basis.

Reduced to its essentials the Premier's address consisted of the following salient points: the State's commitment to a negotiated political settlement and its ability to bring the economy out of the doldrums have won for Sri Lanka at the Tokyo Donor Conference, unprecedented offers of foreign financial aid. However, this assistance would be forthcoming and channelled to us on a sustained basis only if further economic dynamism is displayed and the rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction process is galvanized in the North-East and made to bear fruit.

Clearly, everyone would be a loser, if these avenues of economic and social advancement are ignored.

If nothing else, these dynamics of economic growth should compel the LTTE to reconsider its decision to opt out of the peace process and enable it to arrive at a consensual decision with the Government on the nature of the Interim Administration for the North-East. We also find the Premier's idea of a Citizen's Charter interesting.

Development is all about the well being of the people. Economic growth could not be pursued in isolation from social development. Thus far, economic growth has been largely pursued as an end in itself.

It is little realised that there is no development without people's empowerment. Accordingly, we welcome the Premier's emphasis on people's participation in the development process.

Wealth usually trickles-down very painfully to the masses. This is the reason why a Charter enshrining their rights and needs would prove important. A commitment on the part of the State to meet the needs of the people in double quick time would defuse many a potential societal crisis.

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