|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 3 March 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Editorial |  |
| News Business Features Security
|
Please forward your comments to the Editor, Sunday Observer Snail mail : Sunday Observer, 35, D.R.Wijewardana Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Telephone : 94 1 429239 / 331181 Fax : 94 1 429230 Wrong time for confrontation Even as the cease-fire monitoring group arrives in Colombo and gears up for its task in the Northern and Eastern battle fields, someone may be needed to engineer and sustain a cease-fire in the South between the People's Alliance and the ruling United National Front. The immediate victim of this confrontation between the two major national political formations seems to be the collaboration between the Government and the Presidency in the renewed peace effort. Last week President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga reportedly made several public speeches strongly critical of the cease-fire agreement but subsequently denied making the remarks in question. The President also posed serious questions about the process of consultation between the two political formations and also between the two principal political offices of State - President and Prime Minister. It was indeed a very delicate moment for even a hint of dissension between the Presidency and Government to emerge, at a time when a most crucial accord had been concluded between the Sri Lankan State and its sole hostile entity, the LTTE. The Government's achievement in finalising a cease-fire agreement can only be assessed once it is put into effect. The full apparatus is yet being assembled to make the cease-fire succeed. This is a moment when the State and the national political establishment need to show their unity of purpose so that the chain of events set in motion by the Cease-fire Agreement would generate confidence and not doubt and uncertainty. Much hinges on this; not merely the careers of politicians and secessionist leaders, but the very lives of all Sri Lankans as well as the beauty and bounty of our thrice blessed island. Political confidence is in short supply in this country after years of bloody war, of betrayal, broken promises and abject failures and, a culture of deceit and duplicity. The citizenry is on the verge of giving up on the country's main political parties and any further acting out of rivalry, cut-throatism and sheer, self-indulgent corruption will only drive the electorate away from those parties that approximate democratic norms and into the hands of less democratic elements. Divisive, confrontational politics seems yet to be the bane of Sri Lankan society. A huge effort is required from all sides, especially the top national leadership in the parties, if the civilian political hostilities are to end and that long sought unity of mission is to take root. It is only if there is an united leadership that the country and the State will have the capacity to deal justly and honourably with its principal enemy: a secessionist movement that is articulating the revolt of an alienated segment of the population. For too long has division and confrontation at the national level undermined and obstructed the efforts to deal with the ethnic problem. Today the overall circumstances, both local and international, seem auspicious for success in the peace effort. Yet the human element is not making its presence felt in a way that will meet the challenge of the times. It seems as if truly 'only man is vile' on 'this sceptred isle'. If intemperate postures are being made, then, those seeking success in their peace endeavours must examine the possible causes and take action to alleviate any grievances that could be reasonably dealt with. Not all grievances may warrant alleviation. But timing may be a means of easing pressures, especially in a hothouse atmosphere produced by the imminent contest over local government bodies. Ultimately, if there is a genuine will to peace and stability, the political leaderships must take on the responsibility of seeing things through. History will judge whether they finally got their priorities right. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
