Keep the political process ticking

If proof is needed that the Government is working towards a consensual, political solution on the National Question, while reacting militarily to the threats posed by the LTTE to national security, we have it all in the ongoing All Party Conference (APC) mechanism and allied processes.

Right now, the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) of the APC is in the process of receiving written submissions by political parties in the APRC on their political solutions to the conflict.

Concurrently, the SLFP is gearing for talks with the UNP on the same issue and the SLFP team for these talks has already been named.

All in all, the search for a political solution is on and we hope this process would accelerate and work unfalteringly towards the formation of a national consensus on resolving the conflict by political means.

This search for a consensual political solution which would satisfy the legitimate aspirations of all our communities is the soundest rebuff to the critics of the Government who hold that such a search is not receiving priority in the administration's agenda.

This ongoing process in evolving a political solution is well in keeping with the political wisdom of the modern world that a Government faced with a problem such as our's, always needs to have a political strategy towards resolving the conflict while meeting security threats posed by the enemies of the State, militarily. It is the former political strategy which finally addresses the gut issues at the heart of the conflict.

At this juncture it behoves us to urge all parties and sections to the conflict to work resolutely and sincerely towards resolving the conflict by such political means. The ideal is a consensual, national solution and these parties need to work in a spirit of compromise and accommodation.

By forming the APC and sanctioning a consensual solution, President Mahinda Rajapaksa indicated in no uncertain terms his desire to have a broadbased solution to the conflict which would take into consideration all relevant shades of opinion on the conflict.

Needless to say, such views would be diverse and a spirit of profound tolerance and understanding would need to inform the process of evolving a national consensus. We take this opportunity to call for such a spirit of accommodation and compromise among the deliberating parties.

Meanwhile, the LTTE too is challenged at this juncture to prove that it is ready to enter the path of negotiations.

Time and again the Government has called for negotiations between it and the LTTE and if the latter has any sincerity of purpose it would respond to the Government's call and enter into negotiations with it.

Thus it is clear that the State is going the extra mile to reinvigorate and revive the search for a national political consensus. A great opportunity for ending the conflict by political means has opened out and it is up to the main parties involved to give of their best towards such a search.

All this should not be lost on the international community. The latter needs to realise that the LTTE should be compelled to enter the process of negotiations.

As we said yesterday, the global community, including of course, the Co-Chairs, should impress on the LTTE the need for sincere negotiations.

Besides, they need to ensure that the LTTE would not be in a position to scuttle the negotiatory process by surreptitiously replenishing its arsenals. The relevant mechanisms should be in place to prevent a development of this kind. Accountability by the LTTE is of paramount importance.

Accordingly, there are local and international inputs to the search for a consensual solution. The State is obviously doing its part and it is up to the world community to do its part. We hope all such parties to the conflict would in unison and determinedly find a settlement to our conflict.

The President's vision on this issue is a national consensus to which all relevant sections could contribute meaningfully and substantially. At the back of this grand plan is the conceptualisation of Sri Lanka going forward as one to meet its just aspirations.

We hope in the days ahead the LTTE would seriously consider laying down arms in response to the Government's call and prove that it could be relied on to help forge a settlement.

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