Parameters of home-grown solutions

At the outset may it be known that the Sri Lankan state is not obliged to defer to any quarter, whether external or internal, on the question of keeping the normalization process in this country on track. In other words, no-one could hurry the state on this score. The government is alert to its responsibilities and would be focusing on the all-important task of redressing the issues facing Sri Lanka’s communities. It would not be succumbing to pressures of any kind.

Such a policy is expected of a sovereign, independent country and the public could rest assured that there would be no deviation from this position. The government is fully cognizant of the need to steadily address and resolve the issues confronting its communities and this line of action would be adhered to, although at a pace convenient and suitable to it.

These clarifications need to be made in view of the erroneous notion in some quarters that Sri Lanka is obliged, in some way, to defer to the dictates and wishes of the international community on the country’s normalization process. This is an illusion that these sections would do well to banish from their minds. Sri Lanka is an independent state which would be drawing entirely on its counsel in the matter of clearing the outstanding issues facing it.

In fact, it is in need of no tutelage on matters relating to the conflict-resolution process. Over the past few days, Sri Lanka has been highlighting its achievements on the reconstruction and rehabilitation fronts and the visiting Indian Parliamentary delegation too was impressed by these ‘pluses.’ For instance, the number of IDPs, once in welfare centres, who have been rehabilitated and resettled over the past few years, has been increased drastically and this Sri Lanka achieved on its own steam, while the process of demining too has been speeded-up. Accordingly, IDP camps and such like institutions are fast becoming a thing of the past in this country.

It is by keeping in mind Sri Lanka’s integrity and dignity as a sovereign nation that right at the outset President Mahinda Rajapaksa pledged to find a home-grown solution to Sri Lanka’s troubling questions. This is as it should be, for, who would be having an insight into the needs and aspirations of this country’s communities than Sri Lankans themselves. Unfortunately, the lessons of even recent South Asian history are forgotten by those sections which show a bias for external involvement in resolving the problems of this country.

A clear case in this regard is neighbouring Afghanistan. The latter has been experiencing external military involvement in its issues from around the latter half of the seventies but there is no indication that any concrete progress has been made towards resolving its problems. Nevertheless, our hearts go out to the Afghan state and the people and we hope that their problems would soon be at an end.

It is all too obvious that countries with problems such as ours need to find solutions to them on the basis of their native genius and cultural values and traditions. Over and above all, such conflict-resolution efforts have to be independent and free of outside intrusions. This is the reason why there needs to be a coming together of local hearts and minds to evolve a solution to our conflict.

The TNA and other sections of the Opposition should, therefore, give the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) process a try. Herein lies the key to a home-grown solution to the issues facing our communities. It would be a completely indigenously and independently evolved solution which would be reflective of the hopes and aspirations of our communities.

That said, we cannot help but point out that such a conflict-resolution process should be a highly time-bound exercise. The state needs to be mindful of the skepticism and cynicism that greet the announcement of solutions that centre on deliberations. Prolonged negotiations that are not swiftly brought to a conclusion and are not result-oriented would be of no help to any quarter. These parameters need to be borne in mind as initiatives are taken for durable peace.