Editorial
Time for Peace
COLOMBO has once again been rocked by violence. On Wednesday with a suicide bomber exploding herself near the Prime Minister's Office 13 persons were killed and 22 injured. In an apparent reprisal a pro-Tamil political leader was gunned down. These incidents deal another blow to the already volatile politics of Sri Lanka. Since the aborted attempt on President Chandrika Kumaratunga's life just before the December 21 elections many people expected to see a lull in violence. Now, all these are taking place apparently when the objective conditions for peace have improved with the elections having been held.
Peace is badly needed in Sri Lanka. And the prospects for peace has increased after President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe agreed to work for it. They have also indicated their willingness to hold discussions with the LTTE leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran to find a peaceful settlement to the ethnic problem which has cost more than 55,000 lives. But the more Sri Lankan authority wants a negotiated settlement, the more separatists are asking for complete separation without paying heed to what the former has to offer. The LTTE supremo must remember Kumaratunga has been elected to power by the majority in Sri Lanka. We expect the separatists to shun the path of violence. Violence always breeds cruelty, and cruelty never pays.
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