inside the glass house

Packed with hopes, Palitha comes back home for peace
NEW YORK-- When a Special Adviser to former President Chandrika Kumaratunga was asked in New York last year whether Sri Lanka's ethnic problem will ever be resolved --- if not in this generation at least in the next generation-- his response was a categorical "No.'

"We will only have a no-war situation," he confidently predicted, because the extremists on both sides of the political spectrum are not willing to make compromises. Only a miracle can produce a lasting peace in Sri Lanka, he added.

If this is the eventual political reality, will Palitha Kohona, the former chief of the UN Treaty Section and the newly-appointed Special Adviser to President Mahinda Rajapakse, have a job for life?

Kohona, whose speciality is international treaties and who will advise the President on the ongoing peace process, has a different take on the pessimistic assessment of the situation in Sri Lanka.

"I have always had confidence in the ability of men to rise sufficiently to meet life's challenges. We have a challenge that affects our nation. I am confident that we will rise to this challenge and find a solution to this sad conflict in the not too distant future," he told the Sunday Times last week, as he packed his bags to leave New York homeward-bound.

A former Australian diplomat and currently holding dual citizenships, Kohona is one of the few or perhaps the only Sri Lankan born UN official to quit a lucrative job (with a net salary ranging anything between $60,000 to $73,000 per year) and take up an assignment at home after serving the UN for nearly 10 years.

The financial sacrifice could be formidable-- with a possible monthly local salary of 75,000 to 100,000 (that's rupees, not dollars)-- but, of course, not counting the political and economic perks (including rent-free apartment and a chauffeur-driven vehicle) that come with the post of Special Adviser, and in Kohona's case, a fat monthly UN pension (by Sri Lankan standards).

Perhaps other Sri Lankan expatriates, including doctors and engineers, may have made even greater sacrifices either for personal or patriotic reasons.
"I have resigned from the UN," Kohona said, denying rumours that he had taken leave of absence to return to his UN job. Asked if made the right decision in giving up his status as an international civil servant to take up a political assignment at home, Kohona said: "My answer to that question is simply to quote Shakespeare."

"There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures".

Taking a passing shot at Sri Lankan expatriates who are mostly armchair critics, Kohona said: " Many Sri Lankans talk about the problems at home. Many suggest solutions from the comfort of their beautiful homes in distant lands. I have the opportunity to do something about it. I decided to take this opportunity. I am honoured and humbled by the faith placed in me by the President".

Kohona who has a doctorate from Cambridge University was a finalist for the Rhodes scholarship -- but apparently never made it to Oxford because his professor at the University in Colombo refused to release in advance the final results which could have favoured him at the interview.

Asked about the primary issues that could come up in the second round of talks in Geneva in mid-April, he said: "There are a number of issues that need to be addressed soon-- such as the recruitment of children as combatants; the need to ensure that political dissension is not met with violence; the need to establish a culture of political plurality; the need to enable those dispossed of their property to return home without having to confront any threat; and the establishment of an environment where peaceful political activity can flourish in all parts of the country."

He said these issues need to be addressed urgently so that "we will encourage confidence in the negotiating process in all parts of the country, in the entirety of our population and among all political parties".
This is not only a negotiation between the government and the LTTE. It is a negotiation, in the outcome of which, all Sri Lankans-- Sinhalese, Muslims, Tamils, Burghers, et al-- will all have an intimate interest, he added.

"We also must remember that a conflict that has lasted over 25 years may not be resolved in a few days. The solution will take time and many negotiating sessions will take place. But it is important that we immediately address issues which have disturbed all right thinking persons, including the international community," Kohona said. He also warned that there may be individuals and small groups, especially among those living overseas, who would not wish to see an end to the circle of violence.

"Some might even benefit from the continuation of the conflict. But it is our solemn duty to do all we can to bring an end to the culture of violence and this never ending conflict.

“The government for its part is fully committed to seeking a peaceful settlement. The President has elaborated on many occasions, including in his Mahinda Chintanaya, his vision for a peaceful settlement in the context of a united country and said categorically that he will go that extra mile to achieve this goal. We expect the LTTE also to respect the wishes of the vast majority of the Tamil community and seek a solution that does not envisage a continuation of the violence".

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