Home truths for the TNA

CONSTITUTIONAL Affairs Minister Dew Gunasekera who has always had very decided, uncomplicated and coherent views about the ethnic conflict has, with typical perceptiveness, dealt with some of the thornier issues growing out of the current violence in the country.

To begin with, it is up to the TNA, which professes to be democratically-oriented and committed to a political solution, to impress on the LTTE, the need to work towards a negotiated settlement.

It is no longer disputed that the TNA is a tame and compliant mouthpiece of the Tigers. The TNA has no life of its own but dances to the maniacal tune of the LTTE.

This is pretty evident and to the extent to which the TNA reconciles itself to this lowly status it is the LTTE which will determine the future course of the North-East violence.

This would bode ill for Sri Lanka because, as Minister Gunasekera clarified, the LTTE is in no compromising mood. Rather than collaborate closely in the peace effort, the Tigers are bent on scuttling it by triggering fresh violence every time definite progress is made in the direction of a settlement.

That this reading of the situation by the Minister is correct is borne out by the LTTE's recent attempt at blowing-up the Pearl Cruise II troop carrier off the Northern seas. This was a clear attempt at returning the country to war and plunging it into another bout of communal mayhem.

This is no way of brightening the prospects of peace in Sri Lanka. On the contrary, the aim of the LTTE is to hamper all progress towards a political solution, probably on account of its fanatical commitment to a separate state.

Needless to say, this is no way to serve legitimate Tamil interests. As the Minister pointed out, if the Tigers had the interests of the Tamil people at heart, it would help work out a negotiated solution because the majority of the Tamil people are peace-loving and want to live in an undivided country.

If the TNA is not in a position to influence the Tigers' conduct for the better, then it needs to be granted that the TNA has failed.

If the TNA is really in earnest when it says that it is seeking to redress legitimate Tamil grievances, it would, first and foremost, shake off the lacerating clutches of the LTTE and impress on the latter the need to help in working out a solution.

If not it would be only playing second fiddle to the Tigers and helping to deepen the sadness and gloom of the Tamil people.

Fortunately for Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is firmly committed to a political solution.

He recently reiterate this position to the Inter-Religious Movement for Peace.

The President is on record that he would go to any location to negotiate peace. It is this foresight and wisdom of the President which is ensuring that Sri Lanka does not plunge into war once again.

We call on the LTTE and its proxies to grasp the President's hand of reconciliation.

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