The road to peace and unity

The much looked forward to political solution to the decades long ethnic conflict appears to be on the horizon providing a silver lining in the dark clouds that has hung like a pall over the country riven with conflict, conflagration and bloodletting.

It holds promise for a new era of peace, amity and reconciliation among all communities and ethnic groups.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has spelt out in unambiguous terms that the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) set up to work out a viable political package to resolve the ethnic conflict has his full blessings to deliver a final solution that would meet the aspirations of all segments and groups that constitute the Sri Lankan community.

The groundbreaking development no doubt will be closely watched by the international community who had been vociferously advocating a political solution to the conflict as against the military option.

In a wide ranging discussion with journalists at Temple Trees on Tuesday the President reiterated his commitment towards a political solution to the national question and has consented to accept the solution worked out by through the APRC deliberations. He has clearly noted that the Government, while taking action against terrorism, was not contemplating a military solution.

It is up to the APRC to deliver a viable political solution. As the President said, it has to be practical and acceptable to all.

He went on to state that the proposals are not for the terrorists but they are for the Tamils, Muslims and indeed the Sinhalese. The LTTE, he said, cannot be accepted as the sole representative of the Tamil people.

Inherent in the President's message is the fact that the majority community cannot to be left out of any solution as history would testify. It is the failure to get the majority community on board that put paid to previous efforts to work out an acceptable solution to the national issue. The fate of the BC pact and DC pact and the more recent Regional Council proposals bears ample testimony to this.

The President said the 13th Amendment offered a basis for a solution but added he would be amenable to a solution presented by the APRC which has the consensus of all parties and shades of opinion.

The President's keenness to implement the 13th Amendment is perhaps grounded in his recent statements to have India play a more active role in the country's peace process.

The President's feeling was also articulated in the recent "Walk the Talk" interview given by him to an Indian journalist where the President spoke of India's role as a honest broker in the peace process.

We are not aware of the contours of the final solution that would be hammered out by the APRC - whether the 13th Amendment will be given full play or if there will be some divergence to accommodate local compulsions.

The JVP of course which opposed the Provincial Council system borne out of the 13th Amendment is of course now well entrenched in the system. The main opposition UNP of course cannot oppose the 13th Amendment having been the midwife which gave birth to the Provincial Council system.

The President's firm decision to implement a political solution is sure to be appreciated by all, including the international community. It will be interesting to note the reaction of the Co-chairs who have been pushing for maximum devolution.

Their constant refrain has been that only a political solution can meet the aspirations of all communities and made donor aid contingent on such a political solution.

The UNP too is on record stating it would support a viable solution.

President Rajapaksa is on the threshold of being the first leader in post-independence Sri Lanka to obtain a wide consensus among all political parties and diverse groups for a solution to the most vexed problem confronting the nation.

It is therefore vital that all sections put aside all parochial considerations at this momentous occasion and help the President to implement a solution that has defied all leaders in the past.

The solution could not have come at a more propitious time when the LTTE is on the threshold of being military defeated.

It is an ideal opportunity for the Government to win the confidence of the minorities and offer them an opportunity to live as equal partners with the majority community.