The war drags on and on. On the eve of the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council elections in August, Government spokespersons announced that Government troops were poised to enter the Kilinochchi town. The Prime Minister himself at an election rally stated that it could possibly take place before polling day. Four months have passed and at the beginning of this month, we were told that the troops are now within "kissing distance" of Kilinochchi. Four months ago, they could even see the town from the positions they held on the outskirts of the town. Now, there are reports that the focus has shifted to first taking Mullaitivu, quite some distance away on the eastern coast. We do not doubt that these statements, conflicting though they are, were made in good faith. But we question the maturity and wisdom of he spokespersons who make these extravagant statements.

War reporting in Sri Lanka is a hazardous risk. Defence columnists, even with their own sources within the security forces, dare not report what they have learnt. Responsible journalists will normally exercise reasonable self-censorship so as not to undermine the war effort. But they are not allowed even that independence. So the public have access only to political and military spokespersons. That is why it is so very important that these spokespersons exercise prudence and care on the claims and statements they make. If they continue to make extravagant statements which are later found to be incorrect, they will inevitably lose credibility with a discerning public. And that will undermine the war effort to a much greater extent than any unfavourable report from independent journalists.

In the conventional war operations that are now going on in the Vanni, there can be no doubt that the ragtag LTTE cadres will be no match for the vastly superior Sri Lankan forces with superior arms and superior air/sea/ground coordination. They may put up stiff resistance here or even launch an occasional assault there, but eventually the security forces will gain the territory that the LTTE now control. The LTTE may remain but only as a guerrilla force, as they do now in the East.

This columnist has no doubt that the vast majority of the people of this country – Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim – will be happy if the LTTE is deprived of the control of any part of the country. Sri Lanka is one united country and the people of the country of all ethnic communities should be able to travel freely without fear and live in security in any part of the country. Unfortunately, this has not been possible after 1956 when Sinhala nationalist forces unleashed violence against the Tamils. But this columnist has also no doubt that the vast majority of our people – Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim – will not want the LTTE replaced by another armed or extremist group. Or even by the security forces taking on the role of an occupying force. This has been the tragedy of the East and it is not too late for the Government to learn the lessons of past mistakes.

The Government must not only be ready now to present a political package that is just and fair by all communities but it must also be ready to implement it. Extremists on both sides of the ethnic divide will be unwilling to compromise, to give and take in the best traditions of democracy. But the vast majority of the people of this country are represented by the two major national parties. In dialogue with the non-extremist elements among all three communities, it is possible for the two major parties to arrive at a consensus package that ensures justice to all communities. This must be worked out and implemented despite extremist opposition. Had they the wisdom and maturity to do so many years ago, the country would have been spared the loss of thousands of young innocent lives. All these years, the people of this country have remained hostages to extremist forces on both sides of the ethnic divide and our political leaders must have the courage to break free from this.

In today’s context, it is not necessary to declare a ceasefire for the war to end. All that is required is for a consensus political package to be offered to the minorities and the war will end by itself and with it the loss of innocent lives. To do that, President Rajapaksa must have the will to find a solution to the National Question by political means and with fairness to all communities. Unless there is that political will, we will keep blundering our way around with no hope of an end to the ethnic conflict. And that political will must also include taking the people into confidence and not remaining hostage to chauvinists. This goes for political parties representing the minorities as well. They must have the courage to break free from being hostages to extremists. We realise this is easier said than done. Extremists have in the past resorted to assassinations in eliminate courageous leaders who posed a threat to their extremist agenda – Lakshman Kadirgamar, Vijaya Kumaratunga, Neelan Tiruchelvam, Joseph Pararajasingham et al. But politicians have no right to claim leadership if they lack the courage of their convictions and meekly succumb to threats from extremists.

Sri Lankans have remained hostages to chauvinists for far too long. It is now time to say enough is enough. Let us be clear on what we want for the future of our country. Conflicts will continue to be part of our lives if we continue to remain hostages to extremist forces. The time to eliminate extremism is now. We need a Sri Lanka where people of any ethnic group can live and work without fear in any part of the country. For that to happen, every community must be made to feel that they are part of this country (not visitors!) and they enjoy the same rights as every other citizen. Only a political package that ensures justice to all can provide that.

In 1993, R M A B Dassanayake, a resident of the Trincomalee District, wrote an article in the newspapers which has been reproduced in Rajan Hoole’s Sri Lanka – The Arrogance of Power. Dassanayke’s father had been the Korale Mahatmaya of the Sinhala villages in the area and his grandfather had been a Rate Mahatmaya. His village was situated in the former revenue division of Kattukulampattu which was a mix of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim villages. In these times, it is worth re-reading the entire article. But we quote some relevant sections: "The simple unhampered free flow of life of these villagers caused no rift, division or commotion in any way amongst themselves or with the visiting traders…. The trust, confidence and the sincerity those simple Sinhala and Tamil people had for one another were incomparable and almost unbelievable at a time like this. Such was the spirit and camaraderie. They shared their meals and even lodgings among themselves as near and dear kinsmen… In short, the Sinhala and Tamil people in that area during those halcyon days interacted very much like members of a closely knit family. Those who lived in that region then would endorse this statement which is no exaggeration but the simple truth.

"Pondering the present war situation between our two communities, it is somewhat inconceivable how some of our people rose up in bloody revolt against one another culminating in this ongoing seemingly implacable ethnic violence. It may be due to the hegemonic and monopolist views preached and propagated by a few designing politicians and some ultra-nationalists and also due to the non-appeasable demands for aggrandisement launched by an equally implacable extremist group on the other side of the ethnic divide.

"Going by the saying ‘every cloud has a silver lining’, can we not work out a way of reconstructing and restoring the past and thus effect the much needed reconciliation we are all yearning for, even at this stage? It is left to the good office of the enlightened and broadminded intelligentsia of both communities to take the lead in a spirit of goodwill to strive and create a ‘live and let live’, ‘give and take’ policy of human affairs in relation to our dealings with our own countrymen."