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<b>Need to promote peace in Sri Lanka
By Mohammad A. R. Galadari </b>

9 March 2004

TAMIL Tigers in Sri Lanka have broken up. A new faction led by a renegade leader does not listen anymore to the rebels' top leadership. And the new faction is threatening to unleash violence if the government does not recognise it and sign a pact. The minority Tamils' fight seems unending.


Nobody says, dear readers, that minorities should not have equal rights. All Sri Lankans have freedom in equal measure to live and work in the country, whether they are the majority Sinhalese or the minority Tamils. There is no discrimination now, though such complaints in the past had led to the rebel problem, especially in the northeastern parts of the country. Rules apply to all people, though in practice, on the ground, it might not always be the case. But that does not mean the aggrieved party has a right to carry the gun and mess around with the majority that rules the country. The rebels will have to realise that the best way to exist is to exist side by side, and live as Sri Lankans, not as Tamils or the Sinhalese.

Sri Lanka, I know, is a beautiful island nation. There is no reason why it should be turned into a fighting field, leaving the people in misery. Tourism had been a thriving business there before the rebel fighting erupted. But security concerns were keeping tourists away for the past two decades. This has affected the economy largely. However, the tourism industry has posted some recoveries since the Norwegian-initiated peace process gained ground in the past two years.

The ceasefire had helped integrate the Tamil-dominated northeast with the rest of the economy, increasing agricultural production. It had also helped the government to cut down on defence expenditure, and divert money for welfare and developmental programmes.

Those who suffer from the fighting are not the MPs or ministers or businessmen. It is the poor people who bear the brunt. Even the casualties are high. More than 65,000 people have been killed and 1.6 million displaced since the Tigers began the fight in 1983 for an independent homeland. The resultant downturn in the economy has affected the lives of the large sections of the poor from both sides.

The peace process in Sri Lanka is already hit by a fight between the prime minister and the president. The process should be carried forward, irrespective of the differences at the political level. With elections slated for April 2, it is time to sort out things and patch up. But, see, the Tigers are a divided house now. If you are not united, how can you meet your demands? There has to be genuine unity of purpose to achieve objectives. Artificial unity will not last for long.

And majority opinion matters. When the Irish people demanded freedom, Britain said let the majority in Northern Ireland say what they want.

I wish the rebel split does not complicate the peace process. Sri Lanka has to regain its image as a peaceful country

Thanx: Khaleej Times