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Welcome change of stance by LTTE

The LTTE's willingness to join the Government in its relief and rehabilitation operation in the North-East should be regarded as providing the much longed-for breakthrough in effecting closer Government-LTTE cooperation.

The question in this context thus far was whether the LTTE would lend its support to the Government in carrying out its obligation of bringing relief, succour and normalcy to the tsunami - devastated areas of the North-East, which are estimated to be the worst-affected of the regions.

In the course of his talks with the visiting Norwegian Government delegation recently, LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran was quoted saying that he was willing to put off deliberations on the peace effort until the re-building exercise in the North-East was gone ahead with.

For this purpose, the LTTE, he said, was willing to collaborate with the Government. Yesterday we quoted LTTE spokesman S. Balasingham as saying that the Government and the LTTE "are engaged in preliminary discussions to formulate a mechanism to cooperate in relief work in the North-East."

There is no doubt that all who wish this country well would welcome this change of position on relief operations in the North-East by the LTTE. Earlier, it alleged that the Government was conducting its relief and rehabilitation effort in the North-East in a discriminatory and even unequal fashion.

On Saturday we published on this page an interview with Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation Ministry Secretary M. S. Jayasinghe who put the record straight on this LTTE charge.

The interview gave a detailed breakdown on the Government's relief and rehabilitation effort in the North-East, which is being carried out by it with the cooperation of a number of UN specialized agencies. In fact, the prime inspiration for this effort came from President Kumaratunga who even obliged the LTTE when it requested for a fleet of vehicles for relief operations, a few days back.

Thus the Government was carrying out its constitutional duty in the North-East even when the LTTE was preferring to cry "foul". Now that the LTTE has decided to cooperate constructively with the Government there is not only the possibility of relieving the suffering of the North-East populace considerably, but also of creating a fund of goodwill between the Government and the LTTE, which would prove valuable in future peace-building efforts.

We hope the LTTE would use this opportunity to do some soul-searching or turn the searchlight inwards. If rifts are to be mended and healing is to be brought to this land, the LTTE must change from a confrontational to a cooperative mode. It should see by now that only the suffering of the country is prolonged when division and hostility is perpetuated.

A herbal wonder

It is now believed that moderate alcohol consumption could actually be beneficial to health. The likes of red wine are said to be heart-friendly. But moderation is not a very familiar word to many drinkers, who usually go over the limit. Many habitual drinkers literally wake up with the bottle - and go to bed with it.

Now, Italian researchers have discovered properties in a Chinese variety of sage that could be effective in treating alcoholism. The herb, used in Chinese traditional medicine and known in Latin as Salvia miltiorrhiza, has been shown to reduce the rate of alcohol consumption in rats. Their latest research shows a remarkable effect of the herb's dried root extracts on rats' alcohol consumption.

The researchers are ready to begin clinical trials on humans.

According to the researchers, the herb reduces voluntary consumption of alcohol in rats which drink regularly and suppresses the increase in consumption after a period of abstinence.

The herb could help alcoholics who have decided to stop drinking by allowing them to appreciate one glass of wine without drinking a whole bottle. It is not yet known how the herb will ultimately be commercially sold - whether in tablet, capsule or powder form - but it should be made widely available. Of course, commercialisation of this product will take several years.

This is a remarkable development that will go a long way towards fighting alcoholism, which costs billions of dollars in terms of health expenditure worldwide.

Many of those who worship at the feet of Bacchus know that they are ruining their lives and those of others as well. Yet, they do not have the courage to get away from the bottle for even a few days. If they do so, they consume even more alcohol the next time around.

If the Italian researchers' human trials are successful, there will be an effective remedy for this craving. Doctors treating alcoholics will be able to get to the root of the matter by prescribing this wonder herb. It will be a recipe for reforming alcohol addicts.

As this treatment develops, we may even see alcoholic drinks that incorporate this ingredient. Moreover, hosts who wish to limit the alcoholic intake of their guests - and hence cut costs - may surreptitiously introduce his compound to the drinks.

However, no medication can quite match one's willpower when it comes to shunning the spirits. A helping hand from rehabilitation centres can also help those who have gone to extremes. In the end, it is too big a problem to be handled by a humble herb.

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