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The imperatives of the moment

The country could rest assured that the cessation of hostilities or the ceasefire would continue although a great deal of uncertainty exists on whether the negotiating process would be resumed in the near future.

However, we have it on the authority of President Kumaratunga that the present respite from armed conflict would continue. This assurance is bound to be welcomed with a huge sigh of relief by the people. For, a war which bled this country white is being held in abeyance.

We use the expression "held in abeyance" because the conflict which bred the armed confrontation is yet to be resolved, although the antagonists have ceased fire in terms of the Ceasefire Agreement. So, it continues to be a period of uncertainty although the guns have fallen silent in the North-East and precious human lives are not being consumed in the flames of a destructive war. Ideally, the negotiating process with the LTTE must be resumed and every effort made by the Lankan State to take the peace process to its logical conclusion.

President Kumaratunga has earned the reputation of a peace-maker and we hope she would seriously consider forging ahead with the peace process now that she has taken the Defence Ministry under her purview and there is no gainsaying the fact that the defence of the land and peace are closely interlinked. In a sense, therefore, she is well placed to pursue the peace process relentlessly. However, it must be remembered that peace is a cooperative effort and a peace deal which doesn't earn the backing of the majority of the people and the principal political parties in the country is unlikely to be established on a firm foundation.

While recognizing these compulsions it must be also noted that there are a few political forces and social groups which just do not see any merit in a just political solution. There are in this body-politic those who believe staunchly in a military solution and who do not subscribe to the fact that we have in this country an ethnic conflict which demands the redressing of the legitimate grievances of the minority communities. These forces would be vociferously persisting in their demand for a military solution to our conflict.

President Kumaratunga being the seasoned leader she is, could be expected to see through the snares of these anti-peace forces. In the consciousness of most people, she is one of very few national leaders who recognized the conflict for what it is - a struggle by the Tamil people for a redressing of overlooked grievances.

It is, therefore, our hope that she would pursue the peace process to its logical conclusion. In this context it is necessary to remember that the recent LTTE proposals for an Interim Administration are not definitive ones. They need to be used as a basis for further negotiation. They are certainly not a fait accompli.

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