|
|
|
  |
| Sunday, 13 March 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
by Jayatilleke de Silva It was an eventful week. The first bombshell was dropped last Sunday with a Weekend newspaper innocently carrying a news item, which quoted World Bank Country Director Peter Harold as referring to the LTTE controlled areas as an "unofficial state".
Though Peter Harrold immediately responded saying he was misquoted his voice was drowned in a quorus of protests spearheaded by the JVP and its proxy, the Patriotic National Movement (PNM). We also saw several Ministers joining the fray. Posters came up in Colombo and suburbs labelling Peter Harrold a White Tiger. Emotive speeches were made in Parliament and elsewhere and calls were made to send home unceremoniously the World Bank Country Director. An issue that could have been best handled diplomatically was blown out of proportion and politicised in the most undiplomatic manner calling to question the wisdom of those entrusted to handle such diplomatic issues. Whether the original news report contained an inadvertent mistake or a deliberate misinterpretation by interested parties has not been ascertained yet. In fact nobody was interested in finding it out. Even those who normally take such reports with a pinch of salt took it as gospel truth. In the end their behaviour would have satisfied any mischief makers for it brought the desired results. Peter Harrold was only a scapegoat. The real matter that irritated the JVP-PNM combine was the possibility of the Government and the LTTE arriving at a joint mechanism to take charge of tsunami relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in the Northeast. To the JVP-PNM combine any common apparatus with the LTTE is anathema. Strangely enough they do not provide a way out of the present impasse in obtaining and delivering foreign donor assistance due to the lack of such an apparatus. Such an approach not only shows the lack of any pragmatic vision on the part of its advocates but also carries with it the possibility of negative political consequences for the country as a whole. The sad plight is while politicians wrangle over trivia the plight of the tsunami victims gets eclipsed from public perception. As pointed out by many, time is running out. The impending April rains and the monsoon that would follow necessitate quick solutions to their housing problems. The canvas tents would be no longer suitable. Already several hundreds had to move out once gain to school buildings or temporary refugee camps. It is to this effort that politicians of all political parties should devote their synergies now instead of wrangling over trivia. Reading through the week's media news one is surprised to find politicians fighting over future portfolios and even comparing pedigrees to stake their claims. It is obvious that self is more important to them than the country or the people. Peace process and Constitutional reform Consequent to the Third Anniversary of the Ceasefire between the Government and the LTTE, attention has been focussed once again on the peace process or rather on the need to revive it. The President, LTTE spokesmen, foreign dignitaries as well as the clergy including the Most Venerable Malwatta Maha Nayake Thera had opined that the present moment provides an excellent chance to revive the peace process and seek a negotiated settlement to the National Question based on a federal model. President Kumaratunga publicly expressed her determination to find a federal solution despite the actions of few distracters. Over 80 percent of the masses favour a solution based on devolution of power, she said. The need now is to match words with deeds. We are hopeful that the President's words are not empty rhetoric but positive developments are in the offing in the peace front. It is in this context that moves towards Constitutional reforms take a new significance. Consensus seems to be building towards resuscitation of the supremacy of Parliament and towards electoral reforms that would reflect the popular will as expressed at elections in a more pronounced and equitable manner. Needless to say all this requires bi-partisan and multi-party consensus. In this respect the consensus shown over the Disaster Management Bill is a positive omen. Becalming the East Progress on both a joint relief mechanism and the peace front necessitates becalming the East, which had turned volatile. The collapse of the rule of law is a major problem. Violation of Clause 2.1 of the Ceasefire Agreement and the existence of armed groups outside the ceasefire make the situation complex and problematic. Clause 2.1 reads: "The Parties shall in accordance with international law abstain from hostile acts against the civilian population, including such acts as torture, intimidation, abduction, extortion and harassment." In addition, the negligence of the Third dimension or the Muslim factor in the National Question has adversely affected both parties to the ceasefire - the Government and the LTTE. Another factor is the relative incompetence of the SLMM, which is only a 'paper tiger'. It has no 'teeth' as it is structured by the ceasefire Agreement. This has led to serious human rights violations and large-scale child conscription that further contribute to the de-stability in the region. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
