People's Democracy

Editorial

Need For Complete Cessation Of Hostilities

THE much-awaited talks between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE are slated to be held in Geneva on October 28 and 29. In this background the agreement between the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) signed on October 23 assumes significance. In a bid to resolve the ethnic conflict in the country, the two major political parties have, subject to further discussion and ratification, agreed on the maximum devolution of powers to the “regional administrators”. 

The blueprint of power sharing between the Central government and the regional administrators suggests that the former would be responsible for such subjects as defence and security, foreign affairs, finance, elections, national planning, shipping and navigation and related matters. The rest of the matters will fall under the purview of the regional administrators. There is also reference to the availability of adequate resources to the regional administrators for effectively discharging their duties. According to the agreement, the key factor for a political solution is the sharing of power which is acceptable to the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities bearing in mind the experience of the past five decades. 

During the last ten months, more than 3000 people have been killed in the ongoing clashes between the government forces and the LTTE in Sri Lanka. The CPI(M) had always maintained that the protection of innocent lives is of prime importance. It is, therefore, absolutely essential that there has to be a complete cessation of hostilities. In the background of this conflict, the fact that the Sri Lankan government provided military helicopters to the LTTE delegation to travel to Colombo to proceed for the talks in Geneva guaranteeing them security is heartening. 

It is now hoped, given these developments that some break-through would be achieved to provide much-needed peace and relief to the people. The two sides had met in Geneva in February this year and agreed to scale down violence and to meet again in April. The actual events, however, were completely to the contrary. The April meeting postponed to June was also abandoned as violence escalated. 

The CPI(M) has always maintained that any solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka must be based on granting the maximum possible autonomy for the Tamils and the Muslims in the North and in the East within the framework of a united Sri Lanka. It can only be hoped that the current round of talks will lead to the cessation of violence and pave the way to achieve such a solution.