Appeal for Sri Lanka reconciliation

[Rene Wadlow]

Sri Lanka: After the final round of armed violence: a need for a vision of the future. Citizens of the World call for creative responses to the challenge of new government structures.
Rene Wadlow*

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan (LTTE) face military defeat on the last few square miles of territory they still hold. There are still civilians trapped between the LTTE and the advancing Sri Lankan army. Large numbers of displaced persons from the fighting are living in harsh conditions in temporary camps.

Thus the major issue today is no longer calling for negotiations between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE but rather to encourage all parties to look toward the future in a spirit of reconciliation.

The armed conflict, which began in 1983, has taken an estimated 70,000 lives with many wounded and lives broken. The psychological wounds are deep, and the healing of individual traumas with psycho-spiritual techniques is a real priority.

There is a need to develop governmental structures in which all citizens will feel that they belong and that their interests are safeguarded. Citizens of the World have often proposed federal structures as a way of respecting differences in a pluralistic society while providing the possibilities of joint action.

Such federal forms of government were agreed to in 1987 with the India-Sri Lanka accord leading to the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lanka Constitution. The Amendment provides for the establishment of provincial councils. Unfortunately, these councils have never become functional.

The suffering of the war may sow the seeds of future unrest and a desire for revenge unless steps are taken quickly to develop flexible structures which provide real regional autonomy.

We hope that you will join with other Citizens of the World in this call for creative responses in Sri Lanka

* Rene Wadlow, Representative to the United Nations, Geneva, Association of World Citizens