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| Sunday, 5 February 2006 |
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Broad consensus - Prerequisite for talks by Don Sarath Abeyesekera The nation heaves a sigh of relief for the salutary stand taken by the President Mahinda Rajapakse for having launched an all-party consultative process and reached a broad consensus among almost all political parties not only in the South but also in the North and East culminating in an Accord between the Government and the L.T.T.E for the resumption of negotiations lying in stalemate, since April 2003. This is undoubtedly an ardous achievement through sheer patience on the part of the State in the midst of chauvinist opposition and such violations of the Ceasefire by the L.T.T.E. to safeguard it. Hence a conducive climate seems to have been developed with a beacon of hope focusing for the strengthening of the Ceasefire Agreement which is a vital prerequisite in building up mutual trust and understanding among the parties concerned, for the early resumption of peace negotiations. It would now be quite clear that the fears created by opposition political time-servers in the minds of the voters during the Presidential elections, that EALAM WAR IV would be declared soon after the President's victory, have since been allayed with the breakthrough in the peace process. This long-dragged conflict and its gruesome consequences experienced are more or less a legacy bequeathed by the successive governments, due to those political leaders failing to think beyond the narrow limits of their respective communities, and misusing the democratic means of communication to build up mutual understanding and trust to mete out justice and fairplay. It is apparent that a congenial environment has come into existence with a broad consensus reached among all, political parties. This is an opportunity that should not be missed. Peace is the wish of all irrespective of RACE or CREED, and it is apparent that all shades of political opinion have indicated the acceptance of the concept of a political structure based on Devolution of Power being the only way out of this impasse, except for a fistful of racist elements and bankrupt disgrunted politicians, for whom WAR seems to be more COMFORTABLE than PEACE, to fish in troubled waters. The U.N.P. leadership, who was one of the co-signatories in the ceasefire Agreement, has a major responsibility and a moral right to extend his utmost support in the fothcoming peace negotiations at this decisive hour of a turning point in pursuit of PEACE. This is a NATIONAL issue concering all SRI LANKANS and he should act with far-sightedness and deligence without making irresponsible utterances in public, or flimsy excuses to evade responsibility and boycott this peace effort as hitherto experienced. A glaring example is his boycott of the National Advisory Council on Peace and Reconciliation and the manner his party behaved during the tabling of the Draft Constitution to the House in 2000. Now it is not the time to point an accusing finger, and to search for who was wrong, but to identify how and where it had gone wrong, and find ways and means to what is right and arrive at a solution acceptable to all communities with mutual respect and justice for the Tamil-speaking people of this country. Peace Talks should be resumed with the least possible delay, with mutual trust and understanding built up between the two parties involved directly, to usher in everlasting PEACE, for WAR alone cannot solve political or ethnic issues. The ultimate result of these Peace talks should be everlasting Peace among all communities with mutual respect - with NO REAL LOSERS. If this be not so, our future generations will face an irreparable crisis for years with uncertainty and communal hatred. Remember PEACE COMES NOT FROM THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICTS IN LIFE, BUT FROM THE ABILITY TO COPE WITH IT - Lord Russell.
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