Talk, listen and think afresh

"LET me also re-iterate that our Government is committed to talk, listen and think afresh." This line from the address made by the Head of the Government delegation to the Geneva truce talks, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, strikes us as being most memorable.

May it be so, is likely to be the wish of the peace-loving people of this land, who also constitute the moral and the silent majority.

In the days ahead the main parties should not only say what they have to say in the most clear and emphatic terms but be also prepared to listen to each other and think afresh.

By the time this comment is read, the initial round of truce talks in Geneva would have drawn to a close and the answer to the question, "where do we go from here?", would also have been found in very broad terms.

The principal points of view of the two sides were set out in the addresses made by the Heads of the respective delegations during day one of the talks.

The Government's point of view was stated loud and clear by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and we earnestly hope that a broad consensus would be arrived at on the crucial points raised by him.

Fresh thinking is indeed one of the needs of the hour and we hope the LTTE would be able to rise to this challenge. The Tigers would also do well to take cognizance of one of the sentiments expressed by Minister de Silva at the end of his address.

That is: "Given the pragmatism, courage and farsightedness of the President, we are confident that this beginning could be nurtured towards the achievement of the goals we have set ourselves".

As the Government reiterated even prior to the talks in Geneva, the essential requirement from the State's point of view is an effective and meaningful ceasefire.

Hopefully, the foundation for this would be established without further delay.

As Minister de Silva quite rightly put it, sanctions for violations of the CFA are urgently required. This is one of the most effective means of making the ceasefire meaningful.

Thus far, the LTTE has been brazenly violating the ceasefire and getting away with it, mainly on account of the fact that such violations do not incur corresponding punitive measures administered by the ceasefire monitors.

The terms of the CFA do not provide for a system of sanctions and this is principally why the CFA appears to be "toothless".

We hope the SLMM, the peace process facilitators and the relevant sections of the international community would quickly address their minds to this issue. The sanctions must not only be provided for but effectively enforced too.

The record of violations by both sides speaks for itself. As often emphasised, LTTE-inspired violations far outweigh and outnumber those blamed on the Security Forces.

If the peace process is to be put back on track, the CFA needs to be strengthened and the most effective way of doing this is to plug the loopholes in it.

We do hope fresh thinking would be brought to bear on these issues.