Commitment to peace

THE Security Forces and the Police chiefs categorically assured on Friday that war would not resume following the serious incidents in the North-East.

They have reiterated their commitment to the ceasefire and the peace process in no uncertain terms, while stressing that they were prepared to meet any challenge.

This is good news all around for all peace loving citizens. Flawed though the ceasefire is, it has given breathing space to a country ripped apart by war. Going back to war is unimaginable. The economic and social cost of another war will be unbearable.

President Mahinda Rajapakse too has expressed his commitment to the ceasefire and peace. He has categorically denied accusations that he is pro-war.

These assurances will go a long way towards eliminating fears of a return to war. This must be a disappointment to political opponents and others who somewhat gleefully predicted that war would break out as soon as the Mahinda Rajapakse administration took over. On the contrary, the new President has invited the LTTE for talks on several occasions.

The Security Forces must be commended for their restraint in the face of grave and provocative acts of the LTTE. Any other response would have been painted by the LTTE as an act of aggression that would give them an excuse for war.

It seems that the facilitators, who have been invited to continue their role by the President, have woken up to the fact that the LTTE is playing a dangerous game.

Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar has urged the LTTE to refrain from violence and respect the Ceasefire Agreement. This is also the wish of the other Co-Chairs.

Many analysts of the ethnic conflict have expressed the opinion that the ceasefire monitors and facilitators should have been more strict vis-a-vis the LTTE's ceasefire-defying streak of violence.

One of the main flaws of the present ceasefire enforcement mechanism is that the monitors are virtually powerless in the face of ceasefire violations.

While there is no debate that the ceasefire agreement itself should be revised, the monitors should also be given wider powers to ensure that ceasefire violators are held accountable for their actions. Herein lies another dilemma - whether monitors and facilitators should be from the same country.

In fact, President Rajapakse has expressed the opinion that one country should not be playing both roles. It is apparent that this is too big a task for one country/region to accomplish.

The President had told Japanese Envoy Yasushi Akashi that he would welcome monitors from Japan, South Asia and other Scandinavian countries to monitor the Norwegian brokered Ceasefire Agreement.

Akashi had accepted the position taken by President Rajapakse. This too should be included any future revision of the truce pact.

Reports that Norway would only resume its facilitator's role in Sri Lanka subject to certain conditions, are disturbing. We hope there is no truth in these reports, for the simple fact is that no other country, facilitator or otherwise, could impose conditions on Sri Lanka, a sovereign country.

It is also heartening to note that Norway is keeping India informed of the latest developments in the peace process.

This is especially significant because many observers are calling on India to play a greater role to resolve Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. Sri Lankan leaders too are keeping in close contact with Indian leaders on this issue - new Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera's first official overseas trip was to India, where he briefed the Indian Premier on the latest developments.

As we mentioned in these columns last week, these are testing times. Extreme caution and patience are called for.