Politics, terrorism and the Tamil people...

The days of sharing the suffer of pain, shame, anger, guilt and grief, when we saw on our television screens, the killed, torn bodies and broken limbs of the young and old caught up in savage terrorist explosions seems to come to an end.

Sri Lanka is now emerging from the debris caused by LTTE terrorism, to look forward to a bright future, with the menace of terrorism being wiped out in a gradual process.

The brave Armed Forces of our country have ensured that, pieces of hot metal will no more lie on roads, and the days of human bodies strewn all over will never be repeated by the enemy. It could be asserted that no more human blood would be splattered on walls and pavements.

The nation must now rise to help troops who survived with torn bodies and broken limbs. They faced such horrific experiences for our today, and the tomorrow of our children.

With the light at the end of the tunnel looking bright as fear fades away fast, all political parties that represent the people must now shed differences and petty political objectives.

They must stop the political bickering and internal squabbles to strengthen democracy, a fundamental right and a privilege of the people. The environment looks conducive for all political parties to unite with the three-decade-old gruesome terrorist war coming to an end.

Time ripe

Douglas Devananda	D. Sidarthan	R.Sampanthan

The time is ripe to bridge the widening rift between the government and all opposition political parties. The nation should be placed before self and politics. It's tragic that the Opposition, in all efforts continue to bring the government down early. What happens when governments fall ahead of schedule? The enemy gets an opportunity to seek saline to survive. Hence, such an objective looks ridiculous and petty at this critical juncture, when the country is being liberated from terrorism. Parliamentary politics must progress in a responsible and dignified manner, placing the nation on top of the agenda. Those who occupy those benches in that hallowed Chamber are elected to represent the voters of all political parties. Members of Parliament must ask themselves the question - `Am I making a worthy contribution to my country and the people who elected me to this House?'. How many of them could positively answer such a question with a clear conscience is another question. Today, we do not see fine debating speeches, speeches of intriguing and self-revealing style, or those of recrimination and incrimination. On the contrary, we often read contributions with malice and prejudice, thrown on each other across the floor. Those certainly cannot be categorized as contributions of entertainment, because they are devoid of humour and fun. What does it matter to the people whether one has a mote or mite in one's eye? Either would equally annoy anyone and, that's nature.

Criticism is an essential component for democracy to survive. And, it must be done in a manner which protects national interest. Otherwise, no democratically elected government and an opposition could function effectively and efficiently. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all elected members to conduct themselves with discipline, decorum and a manner most gentle. Such a dignified process would create the emergence of a `responsive co-operation' between them.

The country calls for a National Agenda to resolve burning issues. For that, a responsive co-operation, a sine qua non.

Arrogant

The Opposition must not be arrogant to seek the help of the devil or the devil's grandfather to come to power early. When governments fall early, the fun begins and chaos cannot be controlled. This is no time to keep the people guessing or for politicians to live between two worlds - one to come to power and the other to suffer defeat.

All political parties, from this moment should join hands to establish a national agenda to overcome the threat to democracy. The battling troops cannot find answers for political issues. The self-styled ethnic crisis has brought dark clouds over this nation for many decades. Tamil politicians, who claim to represent the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Tamil speaking people, cannot stand divided anymore and demand solutions.

They must first unite as a community to speak in one voice on the concerns of their people.

Some Tamil politicians who danced to the beat of a gang of armed terrorists must now stop that drama and turn to the people. The days of LTTE terrorism are numbered. No government could find solutions to grievances of a community which stand divided with divergent views.

Accept

It is not too late for our Tamil politicians to accept the fact and reality that it was their unrealistic distant dream of a separate state that caused destruction to their community. They must also recall to their memory as to who was responsible for the birth and nurture of Tamil terrorism that wiped out the moderate, intellect and intelligent Tamil politicians and innocent people of the Tamil community.Tamil unity is a must to strengthen the definition of democracy to the people in the North and East to bring all people as partners on the road to progress, after a three-decade-old terrorist war. With that practical and meaningful process, the hearts of the Tamil people will emerge into a kind of national consciousness. They will then realize that the LTTE is their common enemy. The days of LTTE terrorism on the Tamil political centre stage are now over. Tamil politicians together must raise the curtain again to resurrect the era of lost innocence of the peace-loving Tamil people of this country.

This is the path-breaking time for all Tamil politicians with LTTE terrorism being carried to the crematorium to perform the final rites. If they do, the Tamil people will follow and surprise them with their ingenuity. Then, Sri Lanka will emerge as one people with hope, out of a period of despair.