Sri Lanka election

For more than two decades, since the Tamils in the north of the country launched their open hostilities against the majority Sinhalese for a homeland of their own, the beautiful island of serendipity or 'sawrnadip' as Sri Lanka was once known as, has been wreaked by bloodletting and violence, till a cease-fire was brokered in 2002. The conflict has cost the country a great deal, not only in terms of human lives of which almost 64,000 have been lost, but also, the country with the highest per capita income in South Asia in the late seventies is now having to contend with the economic and psychological trauma of the long drawn conflict.

The new president is known as a hardliner, whose win against the more conciliatory Ranil Wickramsinghe, signals the majority support for a no-give-in approach towards the demand of the Tamils. This is where the new president must rise above politics and demonstrate high degree of statesmanship in addressing the issue of devolution of power to the Tamil minority. Admittedly, Mr. Rajapakse job is a difficult one. He has not only to address the genuine grievances of the Tamils but also must do so without jeopardizing the integrity of the country.

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For the Tamil Tigers led by the LTTE, it must not be lost on them that holding on to long-held positions would merely re-ignite the fire of violence that would engulf them also.

Permanent peace can only come about through reconciliation and compromise, which is something that must be demonstrated by both the parties. It must be eminently clear to both sides that no war is winnable by either. But peace must be won at all cost.