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| Sunday, 21 April 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Towards justice and peace We welcome the agreement on a ceasefire between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, signed on 22nd February, 2002. It is, of course, an important stage in the peace process. It may also be noted here that, now that the Government and the LTTE are working and acting together on the basis of certain mutual acceptance of each other, there should be no difficulty in lifting the ban on the LTTE. Practicalities Some of the under-signed have had extensive dialogue with responsible Tamils, inclose touch with the real aspirations of the Tamil people, in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Mannar, Jaffna, Vavuniya, the border areas, up-country and low-country plantation areas, etc. Always, it was possible to come to a consensus that if there was fair devolution and autonomy, a separate Eelam would not be necessary. Such an arrangement will include a contiguous unit of devolution in the North-East where the Tamils will have a majority and be assured of the reality of autonomy for development, within a relationship of inter-dependence with the centre, within a united Sri Lanka. Safeguards for the Sinhala and Muslim minorities could be obtained within the unit of devolution in the North-East through Zonal Councils. Rights of the Tamil Plantation community could also be provided through a Zonal Council. It is very important that the rights of all minorities, not only the Tamils, should be ensured. Velupillai Prabhakaran and Dr. Anton Balasingham have also repeatedly conceded that Tamils would give up the Eelam demand and remain within a united Sri Lanka if the Tamils had real autonomy for their own development. On one occasion the former (Velupillai Prabhakaran) gave this assurance in an interview over the BBC. Recently, after the signing of the agreement on the ceasefire, the Pongu Thamil Movement might seem to be an aggressive presentation of the Tamil demands. But if the Sinhala leaders and people, instead of reacting negatively, react positively with a fair offer of sharing of power in a spirit of trust, it can be expected that Tamil leaders and people will also respond in a spirit of trust and will be flexible with regard to their demands. There can be negotiation as to size and boundaries. The essence of the Tamil demands at Thimpu can be met by a sharing of power within a united Sri Lanka that assures an autonomous existence in a relationship of mutual inter-dependence. Samadana Pradakshinawa So, then, Samadana Pradakshinawa is taking to the streets in a movement for peace on the basis of justice for all sections of the people. From city to city, village to village, house to house. There will be discussion, house to house visiting, personal encounter, public meeting and public procession. People of all religions, communities and parties, people as well as leaders, will join together in a common effort. The style will be essentially religious but there will be specific common secular objectives as outlined above. This is not a big project with huge infusions of money. Its aim is to be essentially based on voluntarism, conviction and commitment. We appeal to all regardless of religious and racial divisions and party affiliation to come together in a spirit of partnership and pooling and sharing of resources. |
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