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| Sunday, 26 February 2006 |
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A book that stirs the pot in our conflict culture Negotiating peace in Sri Lanka, Efforts Failures and Lessons Reviewed by Rajpal Abeynayake Negotiating peace in Sri Lanka looks increasingly a perennial exercise, when judged by the girth of the two volumes that were released recently under editorship of Kumar Rupesinghe, good Samaritan at large in Sri Lanka's long running peacemaking endeavour. The launch of the book took place in Colombo last week while another peace effort got under way, and this put the speakers at the launch in a position of having to almost juxtapose their views and experiences on peacemaking with the views of peacemakers on this round in Geneva. Both books contain views of peace pushers of a different persuasion to those involved in the current Rajapakse peace effort. All of them believe in the Kumar Rupesinghe principles, enunciated with almost deafening force in the introduction. Says Rupesinghe that there has been no significant power sharing with the North and the East, and that a highly centralised state has to be transformed into a truly multi ethnic state. This then is a cursory review of the two volumes. A fine toothed comb treatment has to follow sometime, not necessarily under the hand of this writer. This rendition of the conflict apotheosises expectedly, the western liberal worldview of resolving disputes. Chapter to chapter, these writers have a heartier handshake and a louder backslap for the UNP governments; and a less heartfelt handshake for the SLFP governments with a less resounding pat on the behind. If that trend of treatment was to be extended, there would have probably be a very tentative nod and not even a handshake for peacemakers of the Rajapakse persuasion. The current peacemakers are eschewing the straight and the narrow peacemaking views enunciated by conflict resolution specialists who work with mutual admiration - and with greater admiration for the rules and tenets of conflict resolution passed down from conflict resolution institutes with even bigger budgets than Kumar Rupesighe has. These handbooks are necessary as travel books in unknown terrain; this then is the Lonely Planet of peacemaking. But, its time to take reviewing conflict resolution handbooks out of the beaten path, and so, its not flippantly that we say this is the Lonely Planet of conflict handbooks. As any traveller would tell you, of all the brands on the shelf the Lonely Planet is the most popular among travellers for being detailed, user friendly and for being frequently updated. That comparison may be grating to these contributors who can knock up a volume in its own right with their credentials - both in conflict resolution and other, should we say kindred disciplines? But, its time to take reviewing conflict resolution handbooks out of the beaten path, and so, its not flippantly that we say this is the Lonely Planet of conflict handbooks. As any traveller would tell you, of all the brands on the shelf the Lonely Planet is the most popular among travellers for being detailed, user friendly and for being frequently updated. It's the second volume that veers more to the present than the past. In an interview, Erik Solhiem states that "making peace or waging war is upto Rajapskse , or to Prabhakaran." Solhiem vehemently refutes allegations that Norway has a stake in Sri Lanka. In the current peace process, he comes out to some extent as being vindicated. He played a true mediator role in Geneva - and it has to be remembered that Solhiem has prevailed despite the fact that he has been constantly been trashed in this country. He has proved himself to be resilient, and not to wither under relentless pressure. It has to be put down as a plus for him, whatever detractors may say. The Kumar Rupesinghes of the world give an airing to the views of people such as Solhiem. Agree with them or not, these two volumes contain certain viewpoints of people who would be able to make some input into any kind of negotiation process. The book is to some extent the a date base for conflict studies in the country. There have been many such previous data bases; its an industry standard that any self respecting NGO dealing in conflict studies should come out with an edited tome. This must easily be the hundredth of such volumes. But, it has a rather comprehensive quality, and you have to give it to Rupesinghe, he is provocative. He hasn't hidden himself, he has taken a few attacks, sometimes given as good as he has got. He is not even as half as shy Solhiem who has weathered even greater attacks. Some of the arguments in this book maybe flawed; quite a few may be dubious. But there is something to be said here for tenacity and application. |
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