Silencing the opponents

THROUGH the slaying of the EPDP leader's coordinating secretary, Saravanamuttu Mahakanapathipillai, the LTTE is, once again, underscoring its resentment for everything democratic.

As has time and again been projected by the LTTE, it would tolerate no alternative voice to that of its enraged, demented growl in the North-East. Hence, the attempt to crush groups such as the EPDP, which challenge its cruel diktat.

By continuing with its bizarre killing spree, the LTTE is making plain its intention of spurning all efforts at negotiating an end to the conflict, besides underlining its unquenchable thirst for terror.

Seeing an end to political rivals through the use of force, is not at all in keeping with democratic norms and values and we are left to conclude that the Tigers are not even remotely associating themselves with legal and political approaches to conflict resolution. Accordingly, the inference is inescapable that the LTTE would not cooperate easily in efforts to see a negotiated end to the conflict. Its continued application of terror proves that peace-making would remain stalled for the foreseeable future.

We need hardly say that the State has done its utmost to spur the peace-process back to life. It has indeed gone the proverbial extra mile only to be rudely rebuffed by the Tigers who clearly and unsettlingly have underscored their aim of continuing to traverse the path of terror.

We hope all this is not lost on the international community, inclusive of the Co-Chairs. Clearly, exceptionally firm means should be used to impress on the LTTE, the world community's disapproval of its continued indulgence in the ways of the brute. Ideally, all liberal democracies should go the way of the EU and other major states of the West which have hitherto outlawed the Tigers and clearly impress on them the need to cooperate fully in negotiating an end to the conflict.

The Tigers' killing splurge also establishes afresh the need to envisage a democratic solution to the North-East conflict.

Apparently, it would not be merely a question of meeting the legitimate aspirations of the disaffected parties. It would be necessary to also evolve the solution within a pronouncedly democratic framework, so that the democratic aspirations of all relevant groups in the North-East would be met.

In other words, the LTTE should in no way be allowed to live under the illusion that it and it alone would matter in the North-East. It would need, for instance, to respect the rights of all communities and democratic political forces in the North-East and imbibe the values of a tolerant polity.

That these are vital considerations is underscored by the LTTE's continued recalcitrance and intolerance. Rather than be discouraged by the LTTE's continued bloodletting the world community would need to make a fresh resolve to not only bring pressure on the LTTE to negotiate but to also impress on it the need to recognize democratic values.

In other words, a fresh effort should be made to break the Tigers' recalcitrant spirit.
