Fill the knowledge vacuum

OUR front page colour picture last Saturday, showing President Kumaratunga addressing a multitude of Buddhist monks at the BMICH, Colombo, we are certain, would have warmed many a heart. It was what the peace-loving public was waiting for.

The Buddhist clergy is a principal opinion-moulder in this country and it is only right that they be addressed early by the Head of the State and Government on the issues of the day - particularly on those touching on the National Question.

The importance of the President addressing the Buddhist clergy was underlined by the events of the past two weeks which features some unruly demonstrations in the heart of Colombo with even grave law and order implications.

Efforts by some sections of the demonstrators to breach regulations in Colombo's High Security Zone and storm the President's official residence, compelled the law enforcement agencies to firmly enforce the law, resulting, apparently, in some unpleasant scenes.

Prior to these developments, two monks launched what was called a death fast - one in the sacred precincts of the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy and the other in close proximity to the Fort Railway Station in Colombo - in what was described as a protest against the Government's Tsunami Relief Council proposal.

Quite rightly, many persons questioned the morality of these 'death fasts'. Didn't this amount to turning the sacred injunction of respecting and protecting all forms of life, on its head?

While all right-thinking persons would answer this question in the affirmative, the past, tumultuous two weeks proved amply that sections of the clergy needed to be instructed on the contents of the Tsunami Relief Council proposal or the Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure. There is, of course, no better State functionary to do this than the President herself.

We hope this process of keeping the clergy informed would have the effect of defusing current political tensions.

As we have right along pointed out, this awareness-raising process on the contents of the Tsunami Relief Council proposal, should also be extended to other sections of the polity, including our grassroots citizenry.

A knowledge vacuum in the peace process has always proved dangerous. It enables those forces aiming at scuttling the peace effort to disseminate disinformation about the process among impressionable groups. This is already happening with regard to the Tsunami Relief Council proposal.

Accordingly, the State needs to take the initiative and lead in keeping the people informed and educated on the core issues in peace.

Meanwhile, all concerned would do well to ponder on this pronouncement of President Kumaratunga: "It was the JVP that introduced terrorism into this country in 1971 with an insurrection. They have now moved into democratic politics. So why not give the LTTE a chance?"