Letters to the editor

The A9 Road was the one and only link between the north and south until the war broke out. The A9 cemented the link between the Tamil and Sinhala communities for many years, even when the "one language" issue reared its ugly head to divide the country psychologically and geographically into two.

When war broke out, the gulf between the two races became wider and wider leading to the closure of the A9. Only non-combatants would have known the agony of travelling by mud roads and boats in the middle of the night, bag and baggage in their hands and on their heads, amidst the guns and bombs fired over their heads between Pooneryn and Elephant Pass.

In 2002 when the CFA was signed and the A9 was once again opened up, people in the north were made to feel quite at home with those in the south. This was the period when the children of the two races had a chance to know each other and share their experiences. This was the period during which a variety of educational and sports activities took place to keep at bay, suspicion and prejudice from the minds of the children of both races. Business too was booming in the country with the exchange of goods between the northeast and the south. People in the north saw the reawakening of villages as they wriggled out the trail of shattered ruins left behind by intermittent war. The northern diaspora also gradually began trickling back to their homeland.

People in the northeast had high hopes of the present Government with its pragmatic vision and approach to the future of the country. The church leadership on both sides of the divide worked tirelessly for peace towards a political solution based on the Thimpu talks. But alas, much to the disappointment of all peace loving people the entire country has gone back to what it was before the signing of the CFA.

The bone of contention now between the Government and LTTE is whether the A9 road should be kept closed or reopened again. Since the closure of the A9 road, the Government is well aware of the immense suffering caused to the hapless people imprisoned in the peninsula. It is not about what the LTTE wants but about the 600,000 people hedged in. Though the government says essential items are being sent to the north, medicines have not reached the people. Heart patients are unable to come to Colombo for treatment.

It is a well known fact that the international community along with the great bulk of the population in this country tend to believe that war is not the option for the attainment of an honourable peace in this country. However the recent talks in Geneva seem to convey the impression that war is the only way! Some honourable solution is the aspiration of all the people of the country.