Majority prefer India in facilitator role

Rasika Somarathna

COLOMBO:A majority of the Sinhala community has picked India as the most suitable country to play the facilitator role in the peace process.

According to a survey by the Social Indicator Research Unit of the CPA in 17 districts, 26.7 per cent of Sinhalese were of the view that India was best suited to play the facilitator role while 21.2 per cent preferred Norway for the task.

Asked about the need for India's involvement in the peace process, a majority of Sinhala (52.5 per cent),Up-Country Tamil (82.9 per cent) and Muslim (58 per cent) communities believe that it will have a positive impact on the peace process.

However 41.1 per cent among the Sinhala community had no opinion in this regard while 40.6 per cent of Up-country Tamils favoured India in the facilitator role.

The research also found 38.9 per cent among the Muslims wanted Norway in the role of facilitator.

The Peace Confidence Index (PCI) July 2006 Top-line Report was to test the fluctuations in public confidence levels towards the peace process. The sample contained approximately 1,800 respondents during each phase of the study.

On the question as to who should be involved in negotiations a majority of the Sinhala (36.6 per cent) community stated that only the Government and the LTTE should be involved in the negotiations.