The ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka is between two parties, the Tamils and the Sinhalese. In order to resolve this issue all the three communities Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims must strive together.

Any solution thrust forcibly upon the Tamil people through undue interference from outside will not be fruitful. The solution must evolve from within the country.

The failure of the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement is an example of such undue interference. India imposed a solution for the Sri Lankan ethnic problem without any talks with the Tamils and without ascertaining the aspiration of the Tamils. India obsessed with the idea that it’s a regional super power and with its own interest in mind formulated a solution. Thereafter in order to implement the agreement, India sent its forces to the Tamil homeland. It lost about 1000 soldiers and many others were injured. Its diplomacy failed. Its forces had to return to the country unsung.

A recent Supreme Court, too, is also a blow to the India after a passage of 19years. It is noticeable that the Sri Lankan ethnic problem has remained unresolved for such a long time mostly because of undue and irrelevant interferences by external forces.

As far as Sri Lankan ethnic issue is concerned, it’s the people of Sri Lanka and their leadership who must determine their destiny, not the regional Super power India, and certainly not the global super power America. They may extend their co-operation and support for the solution of the problem. They can be a driving force from outside. That is all that they can do.

Even in regard to the peace efforts initiated by the then premier Ranil Wicremasinghe in 2002, the international community flawed by exerting undue interference over the years. It was Ranil’s government that involved external forces in this issue through a ploy. These external forces in the name of ‘Co-chairs’, ‘donor countries’ and international communities have chalked out the outline for the resolution of the ethnic problem.

These forces without caring to find out the view points of the parties involved, lay down parameters such as ‘solution within a united Sri Lanka’, ‘solution within a unitary Sri Lanka’, ‘a solution that recognizes territorial integrity and sovereignty’ and so on. This type of interference from external forces was responsible for stalling the peace efforts by Ranil’s government.

At a time when the government and the LTTE meet for talks in Geneva, it is observed that an undue interference by international policemen America is increasingly felt. The views expressed by Richard Boucher at a press briefing in Colombo recently indicated that he was laying down outlines of a solution without listening to the views of the Tamils.

Tamils are struggling for a solution demanding the right to self determination making great sacrifices. This senior American official has made a special visit and expressed such a view at a time the peace talks are about to commence.

This is nothing but an undue interference with motives behind. Such interferences by external forces can ruin peace efforts.

An English translation of the Editorial in Uthayan, a Tamil daily, based in Jafna

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