Stripes of the monks

 

 

Varadharaja Perumal

Former Chief Minister

North Province, Sri Lanka The Ceasefire Agreement signed by the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE in 2002 has collapsed. But, President Mahindra Rajapakse’s positive response and concrete action in preparing optional packages for a political solution has raised people’s hopes. It is, therefore, essential to understand the foundations on which the contradictions developed between the basic interests of the Tamils and the political structure in Sri Lanka; and also how a solution can be found. The origin of the ethnic conflict and the expansion of its acuteness is the outcome of the hegemony of the Sinhala leaders during last 70 years, universal enfranchisement in Sri Lanka, and the ‘State-terrorism’ against the Tamils. The origin and expansion of the LTTE terrorism is a consequence not only of the ethnic conflict mishandled by the Sinhala rulers but also of the conservative and crude-nationalistic political economy of the Tamil population. Hence, it is not right to make the LTTE the sole deciding authority for solving Tamil problems in Sri Lanka.

The government of India made all out attempts for the success of the 1987 Indo-Lanka Peace Accord, in the hope of getting full support of the Sri Lankan rulers and the LTTE. But both of them, separately as well as differently, conspired against the initiatives of the government of India. At this critical juncture, my party, the EPRLF, stood firmly with India and acted with determination in support of India’s initiatives. The failure of the efforts however, could be attributed to the Sinhala leaders, Tamil Nadu leaders and the international community, who did not support the initiatives of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Like a majority of Tamil and Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka within united Sri Lanka, I too expect a peaceful political situation. The international community wants to find a political solution on the basis of federal principles. Rajpakse too has promised ‘Maximum Devolution within United Sri Lanka’ and the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe has declared that the political solution to Tamil’s problems should be resolved by devolving power on federal principles. By blowing the LTTE’s terrorism and the Sinhala chauvinists’ extremism out of proportion, the leaders of the major Sinhala parties prolong the sufferings and losses of the common people. The only requirement to turn the political solution into the Constitution is the assent of the majority members in Parliament. If the major Sinhala parties work together, this can be easily achieved. The argument that a political solution is possible only with the concurrence of the LTTE, leads to the logical conclusion that the Sinhala leaders should be prepared to consent to the LTTE’s Tamil Eelam separated from Sri Lanka. It is also true that the LTTE has neither proposed a reasonable political solution nor is it ready to accept a package put forward by Sinhala leaders.

The Sri Lankan government and Opposition leaders have to get together for constitutional reforms accommodating a political solution, which can be accepted as a reasonable and just by Tamil democratic forces, India, and international communities. The LTTE’s consideration, consent and cooperation come only after that. This does not mean the ‘dialogue and persuasive process’ with LTTE should be stopped. The Ceasefire Agreement has weakened democratic forces among the Tamils in the North-East and very cleverly made the LTTE’s long term wish to become the sole force on the ground, and allowed it to take control of everything other than the camps and security zone of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. Thereby, the authority of preparing an agenda for peace was vested with the LTTE. In other words, all the right processes to achieve a political solution were blocked.

Many members of the Political Representative Committee and the Experts Panel appointed by Rajapakse, for drafting possible options to find a political solution, are progressive democrats. I hope that the President shall prepare a comprehensive political package from the recommendations, to be included in the Constitution. The reality is that how much ever the Sri Lankan democratic and progressive leaders try and put sincere efforts, the real success in making a comprehensive political resolutions and implementing them fully can only be achieved when India and the international community provide their cooperation and commitment.

I wish Tamil Nadu leaders including the Chief Minister and the Opposition Leader play a constructive role in finding a solution and ensuring its proper implementation.