Viyukam Article 1

VIYUKAM PUBLISHED ON: February 2006

The south which is opposed to giving in Is once again involved in another peace attempt By Mathorupagan The political settlement for Sri Lanka's national ethnic problems is continuing regardless of any consequences in spite of several opportunities are available for peace. The political leaderships and political parties who are tired of peace negotiation, peace and war are preparing themselves today for the Geneva peace negotiations. The political observers who follow the trends that are taking place in the southern part of Sri Lanka are confident that there will never be any cooperation from that part of the country for any negotiated settlement. Recently a work shop was conducted for the members of the government delegation which is to leave to Geneva to participate in the peace negotiation. The observers feel that even the Geneva talks will continue in the slow space. Before these peace discussions will commence, meetings and discussions have already commenced at several levels. Political policy statements made at campaign plat forms as now resulted in just empty talks without any substance. The attempts made to create a permanent peace and prosperity has become a total failure. The political leaderships and the political parties are now only interested in consolidating their own positions due to their self centered reasons. In order to achieve this, they are now shifting their pawns accordingly. The whole thing has become just a big farce. The political forces who have not understood the realistic danger which is hanging over the country are just playing games disregarding the country's future. The international forces which try to highlight the

"terrorist" threat are trying to tactfully interfere in Sri Lanka's peace and political negotiations. The foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera who in his usual manner of behaving like a sophisticated political clown firstly met American Secretary of States Condalisa Rice. Thereafter a statement released by the American Ambassador which followed voting against Iran. This has become a death trap to us in the International Political arena. The workshop conducted to prepare the government delegation for the peace talks in Geneva has created a controversy. The government delegation is now trying to bring about a consensus among its members to unanimously take one stand in their discussions at Geneva. Today, tyranny is let loose in this country under the guise of democracy. When we look back towards our past experience do you think that peace efforts will be a success? This is the question we have to carefully evaluate from different angles. Due to the present difference of opinion between the two main political parties will not disrupt the bee hive that is being planned to build by the JVP. The net result is, they have lost their self benefits. Tamil Political leadership has realized that peace negotiation conducted under the guise of bringing about a solution to the ethnic problem is just a political drama to pool the people. Therefore the Tamil leader ship is puzzled with the announcement of the peace negotiation commencing once again. These discussions will never be a comprehensive discussion. It will only while away the time by discussing the cease fire. How else can they waste time? These discussions will not focus on bringing about political solution to Sri Lanka's ethnic problem. There are so many issues in the order paper apart from bringing about political solution. It will not be possible to avoid the discussion beginning from cease fire accord and avoiding of clashes between two sides to militory atrocities. Nobody can prevent these issues being discussed. India is going to follow its usual cunningness and trickery during this peace negotiation. Anton Balasingam who has a wide experience in leading his team during the past several negotiations will be participating at this discussion. However, on the government side inexperience delegates are going to face the opposing side. The history shows that always political leadership of the south, by conducting peace negotiation will continue to take not only the Tamil community but also International community for a ride.

We should not take this peace negotiation seriously or pin our hopes on it. There is nothing in it. Its just empty. During the past several times several people in many political parties promised us that they will create a peaceful political system to us in the future. They talk, make speeches but they will not move forward even an inch to create national peace in this country. The communal politics has established a strong putting in our national politics. It will not be easy to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to control Hela Urumaya and the JVP. The military interference and disruption of peace is creating mental agony to the people. Already President Rajapaksa has had a discussion with the commanders of the three arm forces regarding the peace negotiation and the cease fire agreement. The government and the LTTE along with the political leadership of the Tamil speaking people should endeavor to bring about a permanent solution to the national ethnic problem. Today peace negotiation has become a laughing stock. Today not only in the North and East, violence is fast spreading all over Sri Lanka. The militory atrocities let lose by the arm forces has pushed the dream of the Tamil homeland for the North and East into a tense fearful position. The attitude of the political forces in the south which totally disregard the basic rights and the human rights of the Tamil speaking people and continue with terrorist slogans will only result in Tamils getting closer to the separatist magnet. Forces in the South not only continue its blind path and even today they have not taken a firm stand on creating a permanent a political settlement to this conflict. Unitary state, united Sri Lanka, power sharing, federal political system is some of those topics to be brought forward to the discussion. After the cease fire accords and search for are targeted and arrest. They are being inhuman suffering due to the atrocities machinery. Under these situations there will this country.

peace today Tamil people searched; they undergo let loose by the state never be national unity in

The leadership of the Tamil speaking people, whether they like it or not or whether the LTTE strong or weak, they want not only the LTTE but also other political pawns should be shifted to create a climate which

will bring about trust among all. This responsibility lies on all parties to this conflict. You should reduce the movement of the army in the North and East and give priority to the people's humanitarian problem. If the Sri Lankan political forces continue to adopt militory thinking and continue to worry about terrorism, there will be more disasters in this country. Instead of bringing a solution to the national ethnic problems, the political forces must endeavor to free the country and the people from communal political forces and the militory siege. We should create a permanent political solution and thereby normalcy should return in the areas where the Tamil people are living.

Unless the government and opposition forget their differences and take meaningful steps, ignoring the pressures brought by local and foreign forces nothing will materialize. This can only materialize, if there is a change of attitudes in the minds of the political forces. If the political parties are not ready o change there attitude then nothing will happen. We should stop talking about negotiation and peace and take positive steps to create permanent peace in our country.