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Thoughts And Aspirations Towards Real Peace Which Rest On National Unity Towards Disillusioning The LTTE

As the Nation of Sri Lanka and the World await a lasting peace within the land the insight of President Mme. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga as well as that of her former distinguished Foreign Minister Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar, that it would be futile to negotiate with a terrorist organization which the LTTE represents appear to be looming larger than life considering the state of affairs relative to the Peace Process today. One which has been botched to a great degree by its mishandling by both the incumbent Administration as well as the Norewgian Peace intermediaries who appear to have further compounded issues and provided excessive incentives for the LTTE now trying to capitalise by the lapses which translate to too many concessions afforded them rather than pursuing them through the Statutes of International Law and the supportive will of the SuperPowers dedicated towards eliminating Global terrorism whose message has been all but ignored by the LTTE.

15 long month which looked promising at the inception in as far as the long term implications of the ceasefire presented itself have seemingly taken a turn for great scepticism on the part of the Sinhala Nation and its minorities regardless of the rhetoric of the Governmernt mediators and intermediaries Norway as the now disgruntled LTTE have presented new obstacles towards the much needed peace relative to their needs and hence the created impasse to which neither the Administration nor the Norwegians at present seem to have a viable response conducive towards a favourable resolution.

That the presentation of problems by the LTTE for the Sri Lankan Nation has been renewed becomes apparent by their latest moves to counter Government attempts to return to peace negotiations and their threatening of reprisals (hollow as they are!) in rejecting the questionable devolution package presented and cause for concern for the Nation as a whole while testing its patience knowing fully well that the LTTE are not seeking a resolution towards the needs of their own community nor that of the rest of the Nation by the many contradictions presented through their idealogues at high level talks and point only towards their own survival as a terrorist organization sometimes championed by indiscriminate support from disillusioned expatriates of weak resolve towards the collective development of a Sovereign Nation!!!.

Logically there should be no concessions made by any Administration to terrorists albeit the precedent created by Sri Lanka in the hope of obtaining peace at any cost which is categorically wrong and when the LTTEs begin imposing preconditions to talks and making demands that are in direct contradiction to the country's Constitutionalised Statutes, its Sovereign and Integral entitlements perhaps the time is at hand for the countrys Chief Executive Officer in the form of the President, with no other choice as an alternative to call a halt to the proceedings and make demands relative to the Constitutionalised Rights of the Nation which presents themselves as indelible and untouchable towards the preservation of this replendant land.Thus far her patience and tolerance have prevailed in all wisdom although many wonder for how much longer

As a further testing of National patience the Norwegians have shown a blatant bias in leaning towards LTTE demands until the recent turn of events where they have been all but repudiated by the LTTE with reference to the request to dismantle the Kinniya Camp and been served in what tantamounts to poetic justice for past indiscretions where rather than acting as impartial observers and facilitators they have become self appointed decision makers in full sight of the Administration.Consequently It seems fair to assume that if the Peace Talks are to achieve a successful outcome, then they must resume with a more rational approach towards resolution where the incumbent Administration dictates the tone of voice which will incorporate the needs of the Nation and lay down a road map towards lasting peace which has little or nothing to do with the best interests of the LTTE , and the Norwegians should beyond a doubt show less bias and greater objectivity in its dealing which will uphold the integrity of a Nation rather than that of a group of outlawed and condemned terrorists!

Sadly 20 years have now gone by, as the Nation remembers a disrupted and shattered past where there has never been a greater urgency and haste to bathe the land in tranquility and peace although the scars of the despicable internal armed insurrection perpetrated by the LTTE will remain for generations to come and it is now upto whatever Administration in power to be conscious of the primary need for continued and lasting peace which from all appearances will not come easy as long as there are terrorists at the bargaining end of the equation.

Unquestionably also there can never be even an imagined concept of a return to war as some sceptics believe and arguably the Administration has shown great restraint under the provocations by the LTTE where on the Government Side the Armed Forces have maintained the conditions of the Ceasefire except in self and territorial defence although conversely the LTTE have shown scant respect for the Peace Process through the manner in which they have persisted in political assassinations, kidnappings, robberies and murder and continued grave provocations in the North and North East which have placed the Administration in a Catch 22 situation which only has itself to blame together with the previous one as the LTTE were never contained when they could have been and when they very nearly were for some incoceivable reason let off the hook! The rest is history!!!

Pointers to this equations credibility probably have been taken beyond the realm of existence in some cases to the grave and others in the minds of elite military personalities now retired and some still holding distinguished non military postings overseas where the continued bunglings of incumbent administrations bear testimony to the truth and probably etched in their minds forever!

The success of the Peace Process now theoretically rest on the LTTE's commitment to peace, being the instigators of the conflict in the first place and the questions relative to de-commissioning weapons, denouncing ideologies towards separation and the recent spate of violence in the North and North East bear to mind as pointers towards the futility of success towards a lasting Peace but the willingness of all political parties to shed differences and work together for peace may be paramount towards disillusioning the LTTE that they too face insurmountable odds towards their own goals.

It has raised many eyebrows within the Nation as well as Globally as to whether the direction taken by the Administration has deepened the crisis relative to the Peace Impasse where the incumbent administration appears to have seen more conflicts relative to National unity in its two-year existence than the priorities towards fortifying the fragile peace which has prevailed thus far. It appears that individual interests within the rank and file of the parliamentary enclaves are taking precedence over the country's interest, which at the moment screams out for peace, the development of its GDP and its progress into the future. The success of the peace process not only depends on the LTTE's commitment to peace but also on the willingness of all political parties to shed differences and work together for peace.

The great English poet Alfred Noyes once wrote:

"And How Can Man Die Better ? Than Facing Fearful Odds!

For The Ashes Of His Fathers And The Temples Of His Gods !

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