The world must act fast

It is indeed commendable that the Government is going more than the extra mile to resume the search for a negotiated solution to our conflict. This is something which was not lost on visiting Japanese peace envoy, Yasushi Akashi, who, reportedly, complimented the Government for the immense patience shown in the face of LTTE stubbornness and violence.

Since he has satisfied himself that the Government has discharged the responsibilities expected of it in this context, the Japanese peace envoy should take the logical path of impressing on the Tokyo donor conference Co-Chairs and the world community, the need to compel the LTTE into cooperating in the peace effort.

The Government has agreed to all the conditions laid down by the Tigers so far for a resumption of the peace process and it is plain that it is the Tigers who are playing spoiler by opting out of the path of negotiations. It is up to the international community, led by the Co-Chairs, to pressurise the Tigers into re-entering the path of negotiations.

The concern shown by the world community towards Sri Lanka's condition needs to be greatly appreciated, but it just would not do to confine such anxiety to words. As we have said many times before, the world must act decisively and that too without further delay to impress on the Tigers the need to negotiate.

Thus far, the Tigers have been dragging their paws in the belief that nothing concrete would be done by the world to force it to the negotiating table. A seeming lack of urgency on the part of the international community has encouraged the LTTE to persist in the belief that it need not be unduly concerned about the peace process. Instead, the LTTE seems to have run away with the notion that it could continue to undermine the negotiatory process by stepping-up violence.

It is clear that passivity on the part of the world is deepening Sri Lanka's anxieties. The world must act decisively to end this sad state of affairs by slapping rigorous sanctions on the Tigers for their prevarication and dangerous evasiveness.

What is urgently needed are sanctions that "bite", such as the drastic weakening of global terrorist financing. Besides, more and more states need to blacklist and hunt-down the Tigers. In this regard, the US has proved somewhat effective thus far. Other states in increasing numbers, need to follow suit.

The world sees the devastating consequences of terror on a daily basis. The shedding of blood and barbaric violence just cannot be allowed. This principle applies to all global theatres of violence. The civilized world is opposed to such inhumanity. Accordingly, the Tigers need to be outlawed if they do not cooperate in bringing peace.