A new political culture

It was a red-letter day in the annals of Sri Lanka's history, when two of the largest political parties in the country - the SLFP and the UNP, put aside their petty party differences to work towards an undivided Sri Lanka, signing a Memorandum of Understanding on six main issues.

All patriotic and peace loving citizens of the country warmly welcomed the historic alliance, which would pave way for a new political culture. The pact between the country's political heavyweights was historic one as it marks the first time the two parties, which have been ruling the country alternately since Independence, have entered into an agreement to cooperate with each other. That too came at a crucial juncture when the Government and the LTTE have agreed to sit together at the negotiating table and talk peace.

All these years, the LTTE and the minority parties doubted whether the necessary legislation could be passed without the mandatory two-thirds majority in the 225-seat Parliament. In order to get such a Bill passed, a united vote by the SLFP and the UNP is a must. With the cooperation of the main parties and the other minority parties the chances of obtaining the two-thirds majority of 150 seats now looks a reality.

The constitutional change would be necessary to implement any decisions the Government and the LTTE would arrive at during the ongoing negotiations. On the other hand, it is a victory for President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a time the majority of people in the South have placed their faith in the 'Mahinda Chinthana'. This cohabitation is vital for both the SLFP and the UNP for reasons different.

It is a triumph for the people of this country, be they Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher or Malay. What matters is the unity and harmony amongst all communities. This would definitely help to overcome the various socio-economic problems faced by the country. The typical mud slinging and personal battles with politically motivated agendas would not do any good for our country, or any country for that matter.

Though the majority of our people realised this much earlier, most politicians have awoken to this bitter truth only after the exemplary step taken by President Rajapaksa to call for the co-operation of the major political parties.

President Rajapaksa, as the first citizen, has never criticised any of his political opponents at personal level. Instead of the dirty political sub culture experienced in most countries in this part of the world, President Rajapaksa has given the leadership to a new political culture. The opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe too deserves a bouquet for extending the support of his party to the Government at a juncture the South needs unity and consensus to negotiate with the North. As both parties have pledged their commitment to a political resolution to the ethnic conflict, the prospects seem bright towards a political solution being worked out at last and above all for nation building.

All these years, the LTTE has been pointing an accusing finger at the leading political parties in the South for hampering the peace process by being disunited even on national issues. The historic SLFP-UNP agreement has cleared this obstacle. The ball is now in the LTTE's court.

The LTTE is under immense pressure; - (a) from the international community, (b) the increasing worldwide voice against terrorism and (c) to meet the aspirations of the Tamil community in the North and East especially to resolve their burning problems by making the best use of the SLFP-UNP unity to find an honourable solution to the conflict.

Then came 'the thunder bolt' from Nicholas Burns, the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

Burns pulled no punches when he said that the LTTE has brought "nothing but misery to the people of Sri Lanka as well as to the Tamil population in Sri Lanka". Ever since the LTTE was outlawed by the United States, many other countries - including Canada, India, Australia and the European Union, have followed suit, but not many of them have matched the USA in its vehement opposition to the LTTE's continued terrorist activities.

At the same time, the Government has taken brave steps to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. While acting patiently as a responsible Government despite the provocations by the LTTE, President Rajapaksa, as the Commander in Chief, had not hesitated to take the right decisions on matters relating to Lanka's national security.

The LTTE therefore has to prove their sincerity and give up the bullet for the ballot. They must justify their claim, if they are the sole representatives of the Tamils. The LTTE should feel the pulse of the people in the North and East and has to agree on a mechanism to put an end to their suffering.

If the LTTE were to talk endlessly about their own problems, and not those of the Tamil civilians, at the peace talks, it is becoming increasingly clear that their prestige would take a nosedive. However, doing just the opposite would help them to get closer to the hearts and minds of the peace-loving Tamil people of this country.