Ball now in LTTE's court

President Mahinda Rajapaksa sent a clear message to terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran as well as the international community when he declared that it was now up to the LTTE to decide between war and peace.

For nearly two decades, the nation lacked a true leader who had the courage to highlight the bitter truth about terrorism in Sri Lanka. It came to a stage where some people with Western beliefs did not feel inclined even to talk about their country.

The turn of events has now changed drastically after President Rajapaksa assumed office in November, 2005.

It is with a sense of pride and feeling for Mother Lanka that the nation celebrated the liberation of the Eastern Province from the clutches of the Tigers. It was indeed inspiring to see people from all walks of life showing a keen interest to unite irrespective of caste or creed. President Rajapaksa was bold enough to say that war or peace; his Government is ready to face any challenge to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. "It is in the LTTE's hands. It is now up to the Tigers to decide which path they wish to tread," the President said in his address to the nation at the special ceremony at Independence Square on Thursday to mark the 'Eastern Reawakening'.

As the President emphasised, the Tigers should, even at this late stage now, accept the reality that it is not possible to liberate the Tamils through their terror tactics using bullets, bombs and cyanide capsules. Prabhakaran, through such inhuman acts over the past two decades, has not only destroyed the future of Tamil children but has also demolished their own culture.

The President has given a clear warning to the LTTE that they could not frighten him or his Government through terror acts. However dreadful, he would not be subdued or frightened by the violent growls of the Tigers.

He also urged Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to join hands and become a partner in the success gained by Lanka's valiant Security Forces. He invited the Opposition Leader to be a stakeholder in the people's victory, instead of being an 'outsider'.

As anticipated, the UNP boycotted the ceremony which was organised to pay the nation's highest tribute to those gallant soldiers who liberated the East, saying it was improper to celebrate independence of separate provinces. But it was Wickremesinghe who surrendered the nation's sovereignty with his controversial Ceasefire Agreement, under which his Government officially recognised the so-called LTTE controlled areas.

It was a move that no legitimate government has ever taken. Thus, Wickremesinghe projected Sri Lanka as the only country which had conceded and implemented via an agreement, the control of a legal area by terrorists.

Wickremesinghe ate humble pie by officially accepting a large area as an 'LTTE controlled area'. That was the biggest crime perpetrated by any leader. The UNP's craze for power prompted Wickremesinghe to turn a Nelsonian eye to all sensitive issues and ink the CFA. Instead of accepting the blunder and making a public apology, Wickremesinghe added insult to injury by undermining the great victory in Thoppigala.

The UNP leader saw Thoppigala only as a jungle area with no strategic importance. He even humiliated the Buddhist monks of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU). When the UNP wanted the blessings of the JHU for their candidate to become the Speaker, the UNP saw the plus points in the JHU.

As the President pointed out in his Thursday's address, the UNP could criticise Mahinda Rajapaksa in a democratic way but Wickremesinghe and his men should refrain from descending to the low ebb of undermining the great feats of the Security Forces. Can this be expected from a leader, especially an ex-Prime Minister?

It seems the UNP is at sea. In their lust for power, they could not be honest partners of those great victories of our brave Security Forces in the East.

The humanitarian missions in Mavil Aru, Sampur, Vakarai and Thoppigala were great milestones in liberating the East. How sincere is the UNP in their efforts to tackle terrorism? They do not wish to see President Rajapaksa putting an end to terrorism, fearing that the credit would go to him. What matters is the country and not individuals. The right leadership of President Rajapaksa inspired the Security Forces to gain those victories. Does this mean that the UNP should adopt a negative attitude for everything?

It's now up to all political parties to expedite the process of reaching a final solution to the crisis, by blending the diverse views of all stakeholders of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC).

We ought to formulate a suitable framework for more Tamils to participate in the political process. We ought to be sensitive and responsive to the genuine grievances of the people in the North and the East, not what Prabhakaran and his men demand at gunpoint.

All politicians, including the Leader of the Opposition, and the international community should refrain from undermining the 'New Dawn' of the East, by making misleading and slanderous statements to tarnish the good name of the country and its democratically elected Government.