CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

The Parties to form the National Government should set aside their divergent views, and listen to the President, and allow the discussions thereafter lead to a solution.

By Charles Perera

Jehan Perera as reported in the Lanka Acdemic , has said, “It is desirable and even necessary for a lasting solution that the main opposition parties and the government should collaborate in peace making. However the challenge will be for them to agree on a common approach,'' and added that, “At present the government is utilizing the military to soften up the LTTE. But the UNP's approach is to deal with the LTTE only through international mediated political negotiations,'' “The past experience suggests that a common approach will be difficult to obtain.''

The Associated Press reporter says that “ Perera said (this) referring to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the formal name for the Tamil Tiger rebel group.”

Jehan Perera never mentions the word terrorists when speaking about the LTTE. That seems to be in keeping with the SLMM policy to treat both parties, the government and the terrorists as equals, as it has been said by the Norwegian Minister. It was the mistake made by the Norwegeans. They did not have the guts to tell the LTTE, that they were after all a terrorist group, and that the SLMM, the mediators between them and the government, instead of treating both parties as equals.

If the National Government is to be a successful means to find a solution to stop terrorism and find a lasting political solution for ethnic unity, they should come with what is called in meditation parlance “ a don’t know mind”. If the parties come together each with its own solution , then there would be a conflict each pulling in different ways without a consensus.

The whole exercise is afterall to find a consensus for the solution of the problem. Therefore, JVP, with its 20 points, the JHU with its de-merger of North and East, and UNP with appeasement, should first be prepared to set aside their divergent views. They should also not expect the idea of the National government, as a means to get together and run the country. But to find a solution, first to stop terrorism, and thereafter find a means to solve the problems facing the minority communities-the Tamils, the Muslims, the Malays and the others.

After accepting the Presidents invitation, the political parties assembled together should first listen to the President, as to why they were invited to form a National Government. Thereafter, based on what is said, a discussion would follow, each one listening attentively to the other, without any one asserting any particular point of view, and let a solution come out of the discussions.

That is how I see that the idea of a National government should function, to make a success of it.

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