'Peace requires political consensus'
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga will
be leaving office today, after 11 years at the helm. These are
excerpts from a speech she made at the Asia Society in New York
recently on Sri Lanka's peace process. As I reflect upon the
different elements of the peace process at the national level in Sri
Lanka - bringing an end to violent hostilities, rebuilding the
conflict-affected areas, strengthening human rights, and working out
a political solution - and the need to link these elements in a way
that leads to what we hope maybe a positive cycle of peace - I see a
resonance with the Secretary General's Report to the 2005 Summit
-"In Larger Freedom".
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Taking a leaf from Mauritius
That the majority's religion and language is not
granted constitutional importance is a great facilitator to the
national unity of Mauritius - that small Indian Ocean island State
of 2,040 square kilometres with its vibrant ethno/religious cultural
mix.
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