Monday, 20 October 2003  
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Global perspectives, local solution

Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim, speaking in Oslo on Thursday, reiterated a point that many observers of the peace process have been stressing upon; that a permanent settlement cannot be worked out in a matter of days or months. In Solheim's words, "it took a lot of time for the war in Sri Lanka to break out ... and the peace process will also take a lot of time".

Even though peace talks have not been held since April, when the LTTE temporarily withdrew from negotiations, the peace process itself has not collapsed. As Solheim says, "it is progressing slowly and in stages, it is going in the right direction".

This appears to be a correct appraisal of the current status of the peace process. A high-level LTTE delegation led by political wing chief S.P. Thamilselvan has just returned from Europe, where they finalised their interim administration proposals. This document is due to be handed over to the government within the next few weeks. The government has called for direct talks with the LTTE soon afterwards.

With the interim administration entering the equation, both sides have been studying various models practised around the world for solving conflicts of this nature.

Government and LTTE leaders have visited countries with federal or other methodologies of peaceful co-existence with the aim of learning from such arrangements and where possible, incorporating elements from them into a Sri Lankan setting.

After all, both sides must not forget that the conflict in this country cannot have a 100 per cent equivalent anywhere else in the world, even though there could be certain parallels and similarities. We can study conflicts and solutions in other regions, but it would be impossible to impart such a model in toto to solve Sri Lanka's crisis.

The LTTE, which fine-tuned its counter proposals for the interim administration in Paris and in Dublin, has focused on 'localised' interim arrangements that are suited to Sri Lanka, LTTE political chief Thamilselvan has told Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen in Oslo. Accordingly, the LTTE has made certain amendments to its counter-proposals drafted at the earlier meeting in the French Capital.

Some quarters have hailed the LTTE's endeavor to formulate the counter-proposals, noting that it has never before engaged in such an exercise. Solheim said it was a "historic event because the Tigers have never before presented a global proposal or thought about how to resolve the conflict".

Two high-profile visitors who toured Sri Lanka last week have also praised these peace efforts. Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham echoed the international community's call for peace in Sri Lanka. During his visit to Jaffna, Graham called on the LTTE to return to peace negotiations. "There is a desire for peace all through the island. This desire has to be met by a political arrangement to satisfy the legitimate aspirations of all people," Graham remarked.

Indeed, satisfying the legitimate aspirations of all communities should be the very basis of an ultimate solution. We hope the LTTE has taken this principle into consideration, especially with regard to Sinhalese and Muslims in the East, in formulating the interim rule proposals.

In the meantime, the LTTE must prove to the international community that it is totally committed to the peace process: child conscription and killings of political opponents must stop; the ceasefire and monitors' rulings must be honoured. These steps will be vital to guide the peace process in the right direction.

Call all Sri Lanka

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