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by Ananda Kannangara

Maintaining tolerance among people in society is essential at this crucial moment when the Government is taking every possible step to bring a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict with the assistance of the international community, Public Administration, Management and Reforms Minister Vajira Abeywardane said.

He made these observations at a ceremony held in Colombo to felicitate the Daily News correspondent in Ambalangoda W. T. J. S. Kaviratne, for winning the IFJ Tolerance Prize for Excellence in Journalism Combating Racism and Discrimination in South Asian Region- 2002.

Minister Abeywardane said that it is the paramount duty of all people in the country to shed their petty differences and extend their fullest cooperation towards the Government's endeavour of eliminating this 20-year-old crisis for the sake of present and future generations. "Some sections among us urge the Government to bring an immediate solution to the current problem without taking a long time," he said.

He said they impatiently ask the Government about the final day to get rid of this menace and achieve the lasting solution to this crisis.

Some of them are asking about the day the final peace talks will be held," he said. Abeywardane also reminded that those who want an immediate solution to the crisis must remember that it is not an easy task undertaken by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

"Therefore I earnestly make a fervent request from all these sections to be patient rather than panicking about the final date of the peace talks or the final day to get rid of this 20-year old crisis," he said.

"However we must be happy that we hear no killings of innocents at present like earlier."

Minister Abeywardane also commended the journalistic career of W.T.J.S Kaviratne, saying that present day journalists could perform their duties independently as the Government too has given them every opportunity to expose their free views.

Director Editorial, ANCL Bandula Padmakumara said that during his recent visit to Jaffna to participate in a Pongu Thamil festival he observed that many people hold the view that the Government must not take the country to a war again. They believe that the government should achieve permanent peace.

"To achieve permanent peace, a permanent solution is needed and the Government is now going through proper channels to bring that peaceful atmosphere along with the current peace process."

He also appealed to journalists to play a major role to build the bridge of friendship to create a peaceful environment throughout our Motherland, so that all communities can live in harmony.

Padmakumara also stressed the need for more journalists of the calibre of Kaviratne. Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara, MP Jayantha Jayaweera and W.T.J.S. Kaviratne also spoke.

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