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Advancing the peace process

Issues arising from the incident in the seas off Mullaithivu have been satisfactorily resolved by the Government and the LTTE. This is essentially the message from Hakone, Japan, where the current round of negotiations is taking place. As the chief negotiator for the Government, Minister Professor G. L. Peiris revealed, the resolution of these thorny issues on day one of the talks, enables the parties to move on to more substantive issues in the peace process.

As we mentioned yesterday, the continuation of the negotiatory process despite the intrusion of vexatious issues, proves the commitment of the parties to the peace process. This commitment of the parties, coupled with the desire to address their minds to the problems at hand rather than engage in a game of one-upmanship, has enabled them to find solutions to outstanding issues. For instance, the two sides along with the SLMM and representatives of the Norwegian government would be meeting shortly to develop mechanisms which would help in defusing security tangles on the high seas. In these mechanisms the SLMM is expected to play an enhanced and key role.

This is as it should be. If the peace process is to be advanced, the SLMM's presence should be respected by both sides. Besides, its rulings should be strongly adhered to. All contentious issues should be addressed to it as expeditiously as possible. Precipitate action should be avoided and immense patience and forbearance need to be exercised by both sides. These latter conditions are essential for the smooth evolution of the peace process.

Given the fact that it would be in no one's interest to harm the peace process, all sections on both sides, need to realise the magnitude of the challenge facing the country and should cooperate in a spirit of humility and love to take the process of reconciliation forward. One of the gravest blunders which could be committed is to permit the intrusion of partisan and selfish concerns into the peace endeavour. Lest some have already forgotten this home truth, we wish to say it loud and clear once again that no section or group could expect to promote the interests of Sri Lanka by ignoring and sidestepping the monumental challenge of establishing communal harmony, peace and unity. Besides, the latter task could be under-taken on only on a cooperative basis, with all sections of the body politic giving of their best. Accordingly, adversarial politics would only hasten national decline and ruin.

It is our hope that the spirit of cooperation which came to the fore on the first day of the Hakone talks would continue to prevail right through the negotiatory process. Issues which have proved contentious over the months, we hope, would be ironed out in a spirit of brotherhood and compromise. Let peace be relentlessly pursued.

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