We should extend our hand in strengthening the current peace process
Current peace process is passing through a critical phase. The agreement between the government and the LTTE to have an ongoing ceasefire was welcome by the extreme majority of the people of Sri Lanka. We have no doubt that it was also welcome by the majority of the expatriate community clamouring for peace. The peace process may not be hundred percent perfect for all the sides involved in the conflict. We may not be entirely happy about what is happening in Sri Lanka. In a complex and long-term conflict such as ours it is not easy to come to agreements without any shortcomings. However, at this juncture, the duty and responsibility of all peace loving people will be to extend constructive and critical support to the peace process irrespective of their political convictions and ethnic affiliations. True, there have been strong mistrust, many unresolved issues and many obstructions. The major positive sign that emerges out of the critical events of the last few weeks is that the parties to the conflict are willing to resolve issues and problems through consultation and dialogue.
We have no doubt that everybody in the expatriate community in the bottom of their heart wishes peace, stability and prosperity for Sri Lanka. Even those who publicly and privately advocate military annihilation and extermination are finally expecting to achieve a peace in the manner they want. Such strategies have never achieved peace in the long term though there are societies where tolerance and coexistence have achieved durable peace within a framework of respect, dignity, fairness and justice towards everybody. In the modern world one cannot expect national homogeneity and privileges for any one single nationality, nation or people. Plurality, diversity and cohabitation are the norms of the day. Exceptions to these norms have led to the continuation of conflicts. We of the expatriate community need to accept these facts of life.
It is the need of the hour for all of us to endeavour to dispel the mistrust and suspicions that exist among our communities. This does not occur by a process of isolationism. In fact isolationism encourages mistrust and suspicion. Recent incidents have shown the need to create awareness, need to have integrated and coordinated approaches, practical and concrete mechanisms for trouble shooting to diffuse tensions. We should open ourselves to the feelings and perceptions of our would be co-habitants. For example, the perceptions that process of empowerment will never occur and definitely there is going to be war again are of common occurrence here and in Sri Lanka. What can we do to dispel and erase such perceptions. This is where we need to get into the shoes of the other side and see what has been wrong. If we understand what is wrong then it will be comparatively easy to find a solution. However if we isolate ourselves and keep getting into our shoes only then conflict is not going to go away.
It is high time that all of us try and make the best use of the current peace opportunity. Being critical is good; being vigilant is good; pointing out shortcomings in the process is also good. But to devise schemes to make the peace process a flop by any party is destructive. We need to avoid and expose such schemes. The best final solution to the people of the North-East of Sri Lanka is a one, which recognises and safeguards the rights of all communities and is democratically decided and approved by the inhabitants of those areas. Even that we cannot impose or prescribe. It is the people of Sri Lanka who have to take that decision, not the expatriate community and definitely not the other countries. People of Sri Lanka and the people in the North-East, with the constructive support and facilitation of friendly countries have to determine their own political destiny. And that right of the people of Sri Lanka we have to respect and recognise.
It is time for us to give up petty, parochial political considerations, give up emotionally charged appeals to arouse feelings but to extend our hand in strengthening the current peace process and proactively take the message of peace to the rest of our brethren everywhere!
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