Editorial

30th January 2000

War and peace

The political climate seems to be rather fluid and flexible these days, with the government said to be considering various options subsequent to the opposition leader's statement about supporting the government's peace proposals. The state appears to be getting ready for political manoeuvres, constitutional overhauls and perhaps round - table deliberations.

But, a separate story in our defence columns point out that the state has engaged the support of the United States in an effort to root out LTTE activity in the North and East. War-war and jaw - jaw may be an incongruous combination, but a state combating a fierce enemy does not seem to have an alternative but to prepare for peace through war, while simultaneously preparing for peace through jaw.

But waging war and jaw in tandem is a task that has its own inherent difficulties, and it is left to be seen whether the Kumaratunga government has the dexterity and the political acumen to strike a balance between running for peace, and gunning for war in the process.

Its still unclear in which direction the governments peace moves are poised. The leaders of government may be serious about finally pushing through constitutional changes that they, or some of them - feel would usher peace in our times.

But, the news is that the state has sent emissaries to make sure whether the LTTE wants to contribute to any constitutional changes that are being contemplated. If that is correct, the government seems to have taken on a circus act. The attempt seems to be to juggle war, peace and constitutional change — and arrive at a lasting peace somehow at the end of the act.

On the war front, the sign that the forces will be helped by American support is welcome, but will simultaneous peace initiatives result in the ground being cut from under their feet.?

For instance, the peace initiatives that are said to be being brokered by the Norwegians, are also happening in surreal tandem with the government's moves to engage American help in the war front.

This leaves for a muddled policy scenario, which probably cannot be helped, but what is essential is that the government's policy makers know the ramifications of these moves. In other words, does the government know exactly what it is doing on all these fronts?

That may be a patronizing question, but is not misplaced considering the government's general policy on everything and essentially its zig-zag peace moves, and a war effort that had its roller - coaster ups and downs in a five- year period behind us. In the war effort, there were several setbacks, some of which looked quite unnecessary even for the most untrained of observers of these events.

Now, when vital foreign help is forthcoming for the war, in whatever degree, it will be absurd for the state to squander this opportunity by waging a "peace effort'' that might end up in a heap. The LTTE is indeed on the back foot - right now. They botched an attack on the President's life, could not prevent her from getting another term and have failed to capture Elephant pass. But all this can turn topsy turvy overnight. And this is not to say that a political solution must be kept in the back - burner, or that no political moves are possible while the forces prepare for a serious war.

A political solution must be evolved, but it should not be confused with making concessions to the LTTE in a haste to get the Tigers to negotiate.

Perhaps the top echelons of government know this difference, but, in an abundance of caution, we reiterate that the governments so called invitation to LTTE "to contribute to the constitutional process'' may be a sign that the state is warming upto negotiation's. If that is so, it is vital that these negotiations do not hinder a rejuvenated war effort.

At no cost must the soldier be given the wrong signal that fighting, and the war, is only academic.

The Political Column

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