A most decisive moment

It would not be an exaggeration to state that the country is facing a most decisive moment in its fight against Tiger terrorism. While the State prefers to leave the door open to a negotiated settlement, it could by no means allow the LTTE to continue with its campaign of terror and murderous violence.

The Government has no choice but to govern and eliminating Tiger - inspired terror is bound to figure prominently in any Lankan governments list of priorities.

Evolving a political solution which would redress the principal grievances experienced in the North-East is one of the most effective ways of containing our conflict, but the truth which is beyond all dispute is that the LTTE has repeatedly shunned the opportunity to work out a political solution in collaboration with the State.

Over the past year in particular, the LTTE has proved in abundance that it is not at all interested in being a party to a negotiated solution.

By making impossible demands of the State the LTTE has ensured that the thrust for a negotiated settlement remains stymied. In sum, this has been the LTTE approach to the need for a settlement over the past few months.

On the other hand, the LTTE has continued with its campaign of murder and mayhem. Members of the Security Forces, State officials, political opponents and civilians of all communities have been the targets of Tiger terror.

The LTTE has proved, among other things, that civilized discourse is anathema in its ears. Besides, the Tigers have displayed in no uncertain terms, their derisive dismissal of rights of any kind, including those of children.

Accordingly, the State is compelled to make some hard choices. Prime among these issues is whether the Government should reclamp the ban on the Tigers. Another is whether the Prevention of Terrorism Act should be rigorously reinforced.

There are arguments for and against these measures, but these are the dilemmas continued Tiger terror is generating.

Reportedly, these issues would be taken up for discussion at today's Cabinet meeting but the Government is unlikely to cave-in to impulses.

The challenge facing it is to walk a tight rope between keeping Tiger terror in check through rigorous law-enforcement and keeping the door to a political settlement open.

While there is no question of the LTTE attempting to perpetrate terror and getting away with it, the State needs to keenly explore the possibility of strengthening anti-LTTE political forces in the North-East. It should also continuously ensure the well being of the Tamil people.

Meanwhile, the news needs to be warmly welcomed that the SLFP and UNP leaderships would be meeting on a continuous basis to implement the provisions in the MoU signed recently by the parties.

Both parties need to consider as crucial the task of jointly settling our conflict. It cannot be emphasized enough that the LTTE is fiendishly exploiting the lack of a consensus between the SLFP and the UNP on the National Question.

As long as the South remains dividided on the issues of the day, the LTTE could make out to the rest of the world that there is no guarantee of a negotiatory process ever succeeding.

This pernicious premise of the LTTE should be exposed as false. On the conflict, at this point in time, there are some commonalities between the SLFP and the UNP.

They could tarry no longer. Even while LTTE terror is being defeated by the State, the Tigers must be increasingly alienated among the stakeholders to the conflict through unity of perception between the SLFP and the UNP.

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