It's 25th October 2006 and the early evening monsoon downpour is slowing the traffic, but that’s not the only reason for the ‘parking-lot’ I am now stuck in trying to get home. Traffic police and military are stopping and searching every second car and nearly all buses this evening. And this is the main evening rush hour! Peace talks between the Government and the LTTE are due to start this Friday in Geneva but there is still high security in the City. The attacks on the naval base in Galle harbour last week and on the buses carrying troops in Habarana 2 weeks ago are still fresh in people’s minds. Equally the bombing and shelling by both parties in the north and east continued right up to the departure of the various negotiating teams from the Katunyake Airport. This is Elam War IV and Geneva should stop it in its tracks.
I am not optimistic about how productive the talks in Geneva can be but I went to a big public meeting today organised by the Women Action for Social Justice Network in the Colombo Public Gallery. Their message was certainly one of optimism. When other NGOs, including CAFOD, had cancelled public meetings due to the volatile situation the WACJ went ahead with this meeting entitled ‘Visit the Land of Humanity Devoid of Killings’.
Marie Princy, one of the speakers to over 1,000 women, with many men and youths present, she said ‘My key message is we are mothers, and mothers give life to the world! But nowadays life is going down… War is the result of selfishness of Government and Politicians and the inheritance of British colonialists.’
I asked Marie what she expected this meeting of representatives from all parts of the country would achieve. “At the end of today we want to give a clear message to the Government and Tamil Tigers that they MUST stop the war and talk until a compromise solution is agreed.” she said. “Don’t even give one word of support to the war. We must find out why the LTTE have taken to arms – what are the causes.”
Maria, who works with Janawaboda Kendraya in Negombo, told me,” People here today have come from all over the country – 13 districts including Jaffna although they are now refugees from their own homes. They are from Trinco Hambantota Galle, Matara and Gampaha and hill country and we all really support the dialogue in Geneva BUT to succeed it must be genuine and honest.”
The message of this big gathering, coming over loud and clear, was that the people on the whole don’t support the war, “We don’t want to give our children to the military to fight the war.” Maria said, ‘We want a just economic development that removes poverty, promotes health education and well being in which all the people of Sri Lanka can enjoy”
Well I pray that you’re right Maria and the leaders meeting in Geneva can start being transparent, honest and keep to their commitments. What is clear to me is that vast numbers of Sri Lankan people reject violence and yearn for justice, respect for individual and group identities and above all a respect to the right to Life.
