Call for peace in Sri Lanka

BY NADEEM ANSARI & KERRYN WILLIAMS

CANBERRA — At a January 31 public meeting, Lionel Bopage from Friends for Peace in Sri Lanka appealed to the new Sri Lankan government to begin peace negotiations with the Tamil population. Bopage recently returned from Sri Lanka where he had observed the national election, in which parties advocating some form of negotiated peace won 77% of the vote.

Bopage told the meeting that after the last Sri Lankan election, the parties elected on a peace mandate had failed to act upon it. The ruling United National Party (UNP) campaigned on peace slogans, he said, but has not yet presented a solid peace plan.

Bopage predicted that if the government failed to act within six to 12 months, the chauvinist elements in the UNP would join with the opposition People's Alliance and People's Liberation Front (JVP) to block any peace efforts. He condemned the JVP, which claims to be a progressive force in Sri Lanka, for its nationalist stand against a peaceful settlement with the Tamils. Both the PA and JVP favour militarily wiping out the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE).

Sri Lanka's economy is doomed, Bopage said. Economic growth fell to -0.7% last year, compared to 5-6% over the last decade. He attributed the growing support for peace amongst Sri Lanka's capitalists to the war's damaging effects on business and investment.

While criticising the new government for not having initiated any programs to raise awareness among the Singhalese population about the need for peace and reconciliation with the Tamils, Bopage nevertheless welcomed the government's lifting of most roadblocks and the embargo on many items going into LTTE-held areas.

The meeting concluded with a discussion about how Australian activists could help put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to rapidly implement its promise to negotiate with the LTTE, which is under growing pressure from the United States' so-called war on terrorism.

From Green Left Weekly, February 6, 2002.

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From GLW issue 479