Taking on the gut issues

THE position taken by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera at a meeting with his French counterpart in Paris recently that issues such as democracy, pluralism and human rights should be broached with the LTTE in future negotiations, could prove profoundly important from the viewpoint of the future of the peace effort.

While it is true that no efforts could be spared to bolster the ceasefire and make it increasingly effective, it needs to be recalled that the mere absence of war and bloodshed does not amount to the establishment of peace in the truest sense of the word.

Once the ceasefire is consolidated, much more would need to be done to lay the foundation for peace in Sri Lanka.

For example, nothing substantial would be gained if the minority communities do not experience a sense of belonging to Sri Lanka, despite the ceasefire being firmly in place. A ceasefire minus national integration would not add-up to much from the point of view of a durable peace.

Accordingly, it is impossible to speak of peace without referring to democratic development and the need to satisfy the fundamental rights of all our citizens. Nor could a permanent peace be divorced from the need to sustain a pluralistic and tolerant society based on humanity.

Such issues need to be addressed by both sides of the divide. The LTTE whose demented extortion rackets in the West are currently being exposed, would need to remember that no government would be willing to hand over the Tamil people to its cruel, tyrannical diktat.

Nor could any government look on passively while the Tigers run amok in the North-East and prey rapaciously on children and other helpless sections.

As in the case of extortion, child conscription too is exposing the unsatiated sadism of the LTTE. Besides, the LTTE would need to accommodate and treat on equal terms the minorities of the North-East, such as the Muslims and the Sinhalese who have been residing in the region for centuries and decades.

Therefore, a substantial amount of work remains to be achieved and it needs to be conceded that the primary impetus for the accomplishment of these tasks must come from the State.

However, sooner rather than later the LTTE too must cooperate readily in implementing this exacting program of work and unless it changes its orientation and ideological outlook completely, we do not see how the foundation for a durable peace could be laid.

So, the Government would need to attach top priority to democratic development and ensure that the Lankan State evolves in the direction of a dispensation where equality of condition and opportunity among our ethnic groups would be a solid reality while the Tigers too would need to think in terms of downing arms, renouncing terror and giving freedom a chance in the areas in which they have a presence.

Here is where international pressure would prove important. More and more biting sanctions on the LTTE by the international community could compel the Tigers to cooperate in the peace exercise.

As could be seen, the continued inflow of finances from particularly the Western-based Tamil diaspora is proving vital in keeping the Tiger war machine in working condition. A concerted drive by Western states to end such financial inflows could convince the LTTE of the futility acting recalcitrant.

Meanwhile, steady progress would need to be achieved by the State in enhancing our democratic development. Gut issues in the conflict should be confronted squarely and resolved.