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No alternative to rationality

Amid frantic efforts by some opposition political parties and interest groups to generate a general state of restlessness in the country over issues pertaining to the peace process, comes the confident assertion by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that the LTTE will never revert to war.

Why, indeed, should the LTTE revert to war if the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people could be achieved through a process of negotiations? Why get back to the bush and revert to another spell of bloody rebellion if a just, rationally-deliberated solution could be found to Tamil grievances?

The simple truth is that the space has been opened by the Government for a negotiated political solution. The fundamental reality is that erroneous approaches and presuppositions to ending the conflict have now been completely replaced, thereby, enabling the once armed rebellion prone LTTE to glimpse the possibility of resolving the conflict by political means.

For instance, while between 1994 and late 2001, peace was essentially sought through war, this approach, which brought no worthwhile results, has been rejected in favour of peace by peaceful means. So, why should another shot be fired?

While the future path to a negotiated solution is unlikely to be paved with Roses, the positive reality needs to be recognised that the LTTE, has, indeed, for the first time in the history of the conflict, formulated a set of proposals towards ending it, regardless of the time frame envisaged. This is a considerable leap forward, although there is yet a long way to go. It is our belief that the LTTE would, in the main, remain engaged in the peace effort, as long as the space remains open for a negotiated solution.

Jitters among some sections of the public on the real motives of the LTTE are the result of a stereotype of the LTTE which has been assiduously fostered in them by opposition parties and the sensationally-oriented and chauvinistic sections of the country's media.

According to this stereotype, the LTTE is naturally brutal and trigger-happy, with little inclination for parleying.

However, the LTTE's carefully-planned out and studiously formulated Interim Administration proposals, which will reportedly be handed over to the Government very soon, are an effective refutation of these mythical notions of the LTTE. It is gratifying to note that the Prime Minister is busy enlightening public opinion on these issues in particularly the Southern province.

While the knee-jerk reaction of the opposition to current political developments is to launch highway histrionics of the most sensational kind, it throws into relief the rational approach of the Government which consists in speaking to the hearts and minds of the people.

It is important that the link is clearly demonstrated, for instance, between the cessation of hostilities and economic development. It is important that agitationists realise that there is no alternative to appealing to the rational faculty of the silent majority.

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