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Useful inputs to trust-building

"The Government of Sri Lanka remains committed not to get back to armed conflict." These words of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga are likely to inspire war-weary Lanka with hopes of a peaceful tomorrow and give it the courage and enthusiasm to face the rigours of the times.

Coming close on the heels of her address to the 59th UN General Assembly sessions, these words of the President and her observations to the international press, which we front paged yesterday, constitute what may be called a high-water mark in awareness-raising on the finer issues of the Lankan conflict.

At the press conference the President spelt out in terms which were transparently clear the approach of the Lankan Government to resolving the conflict. "In the world's fight against terrorism, the use of force and violence by a State should be the last resort," the President explained.

"We are determined to do our maximum to persuade our adversaries, the LTTE, to engage in the process of negotiations in order that we can together formulate a satisfactory and lasting solution to the conflict," the President went on to say, indicating an ample willingness to accommodate the LTTE in a negotiatory process.

As we see it, negotiations and compromise between the principal parties to the conflict, hold the key to peace in Sri Lanka. This profound truth has been adequately perceived by the President.

In fact the President has right along advocated the view that negotiations should be given top priority in the search for peace. The LTTE would be acting against the interests of the Tamil people by ignoring these fresh openings for a negotiated solution.

We urge both parties to the conflict to sit at the peace table and to refrain from splitting hairs on issues which could be sorted out once an atmosphere of trust has been generated. As the President has pointed out, the Government is for extended devolution. Interim arrangements for the North-East have been envisaged in draft peace plans formulated by previous SLFP-led governments presided over by the President.

Thus, it could be said that the basics are in place for a resumption of the peace process. What is left to be done is to negotiate in earnest, bearing in mind that a "win-win" solution, which would meet the legitimate needs of all communities would be best.

At this juncture, it would be best if the rest of the body-politic rallies round the President. By emphasizing the need for peace by peaceful means, she has proved that she is a true advocate of Ahimsa and compassion. It needs to be remembered by all that peacemakers are blessed. There is no better foundation for better times than love and fraternal understanding among communities.

Life, virtually

Have you contacted the dead ? Or do you happen to know someone who has ? Contacting the dear departed through a 'medium' - a person who can 'bring' the spirits of the dead to our physical world - is a common practice around the world.

Even Hollywood could not resist the temptation to feature conversations with the dead, in memorable movies such as The Ghost and The Others.

Now, the go-betweens between the living and the dead may face hard times as scientists have finally managed to expose their bag of 'supernatural' tricks. A new, rigorous scientific test in Britain has concluded that most mediums simply use a series of relatively simple psychological antics to fool people.

When asked to perform under tightly controlled laboratory conditions, mediums' special skills seemed to disappear into the spirit world, the London-based Times reported yesterday.

According to the scientists behind the experiment, most mediums use tricks such as "cold readings", making informed guesses about a subject based on observable physical and behavioural signs, as well as picking up on verbal responses.

While some mediums know full well what they are doing, others use such skills unconsciously and honestly believe they are being fed answers by spirits, the report found.

"These are probably the most rigorous experiments that have been done in this field, and they show that the mediums could not contact the spirits and give accurate readings under controlled conditions," Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertfordshire told the paper.

This is a bad omen for the mediums, but they are hardly likely to give up. After all, a lot of people do make a killing out of the dead. Funeral directors make a living out of the remains of the dead, after which the spiritual mediums take over.

If a dead relative happens to possess a living one, we call in the friendly neighbourhood exorcist to pacify the spirit and send it away.

And what about the best-selling authors who so skilfully weave ghost stories that chill us to the bone ? The mediums may be bluffing their way to the bank, but no one knows for certain whether the dead actually 'live' in spirit form. Years of research on paranormal activity has not definitely disproved the existence of ghosts and similar phenomena.

There are many who claim to have seen ghosts. One can find countless photographs of ghosts on the Internet, though there is no guarantee that they have not been doctored.

Some scientists argue that ghosts and other paranormal activity are a state of mind, a manifestation of our fears. It's all in the mind, they say. Whatever the truth is, the debate on their existence is likely to go on till the end of time. Long live the dead, then.

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