President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s search for a solution to the north-east problem through the National Advisory Council on Peace and Reconciliation (NCPR) could at best be described as another political farce of our times.
Of course, any move for peace draws instantaneous hosannas from the expected quarters and so is this latest move. But clearly any such council without the party that polls the largest amount of votes by itself in any given election, the UNP and the TNA which is the mouth piece of the problem itself —-he LTTE—- will be a classic instance of staging Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark.
President Kumaratunga in addressing the inaugural meeting of the NCPR posed off as a great Messiah of Peace and attempted to make the UNP leader Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe look a petty political manipulator attempting to gain political advantage and sabotaging her peace effort by keeping out of the NCPR. But she is to a great extent responsible for the UNP and TNA keeping out.
President Kumaratunga does not seem to realise-or does not want to accept—- that in seeking national political consensus, she as the president of the country should refrain from vituperative politics. But such politics seems to be her forte. In order to forge a national consensus, whoever is head of state, has to shelve petty political differences at least temporarily and work in the interests of the nation. With her on the offensive most of the time and Mr Wickremasinghe responding to her attacks, confrontational politics has occupied the centre stage since she became president in 1994.
When Mr. Wickremasinghe became Prime Minister and with her as President an ideal opportunity was presented for consensus politics. On the contrary vituperation increased.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Wickremasinghe too has to be blamed for bypassing her and signing the Cease-fire Agreement with Prabakaran. Since that time the president was firing on all four cylinders against Mr. Wickremasinghe and the UNP. The president took the opportunity of raising hue and cry against the UNP leader’s policy of accommodating the terroist demands. Peace was not on her mind as she went on the rampage attacking the UNP leader of jeopardising national security and finally using her constitutional powers seized three key ministries-Defence, Internal Security and the Media. She severely attacked the UNF policy towards the LTTE and struck a very belligerent pose when she went before the voters. On this belligerent note she won the election. But since taking over the three key ministries last November and on forming her own government in April- six months to date—- she has not lifted a finger against the LTTE.
In these circumstances, one can only expect a Bodhisattava to co-operate and fall in line with the Kumaratunga peace brigade.
Her extremely belligerent attitude towards the LTTE when the UNP was negotiating peace would have resulted in their hostile attitude towards her. Of course earlier, they even missed assassinating her.
If this national advisory council on peace is to make any contribution, a change of heart of all political parties must take place. Mere smiling poses for media cameramen at the inaugural sessions alone won’t do. Even those that assembled on Monday despite the camaraderie were at daggers drawn.
Attempts at national reconciliation between political parties are nothing new. It was in President Jayewardene’s time that the first all party conference took place. President Premadasa too held an all-party conference. Both conferences were failures. In July 2002 President Kumaratunga herself summoned an all-party conference which was boycotted by the UNP. This new conference envisages participation of ‘ civil society’ as well. It would mean those foreign funded NGOs suspected of treasonable activities will be in full cry.It will be fruitier and nuttier.
Reaching a national consensus, particularly a southern consensus, is vital for any solution to be worked out. But for this vituperative politics must cease. Staging conferences without a change of heart is like putting the cart before the horse.
