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Options before Sri Lanka

The celebration proved short-lived though with the Tigers issuing a prompt warning that the dialogue with the government was out of question as long as the fighting in the country’s north and north-east did not stop.

The Tigers’ argument is pertinent of course. But given its long history of the dangerously clever cat- and-mouse games with Colombo, the Lankan government would be forgiven for approaching any peace offer by the LTTE with scepticism, however desperate it might be for resolution of the Tamil question.

For in the past, every time the LTTE offered —or pretended to offer —olive branch to successive governments in Colombo, it only did so to buy itself more time to arm and regroup itself and replenish its supplies and resources. Every time the Tigers retreated in the past, they did so to come back with a vengeance, literally.

In the current round of fighting too —in and around Mutur, a Muslim-majority town near the strategic military base of Trincomalee —the LTTE finds itself in a bit of a spot.

Despite their clever attempts to involve and use civilians in its war with the security forces, which led to scores of Muslims getting killed and thousands fleeing the town, not to mention the enormous suffering of the Tamil minority, the Tigers have clearly lost this round of battle. Which is why they have come up with the latest peace talks offer.

This may be the right time for Sri Lanka’s leaders to deal resolutely with the LTTE and resolve the Tamil question once and for all. Right now, the LTTE finds itself at its most vulnerable. The international community, especially European peacemakers, has grown weary of the hide-and-seek games the Tigers have been playing with regard to the peace talks.

The continuing conflict and bloodshed are not only unhealthy for the relations between the Sinhala majority and Tamil and Muslim minorities, but they are a serious threat to the country’s collective future. It’s thanks to this never-ending conflict that the island nation, one of the most beautiful countries in the world, has not been able to exploit its immense tourism and economic potential. It’s time for Sri Lanka to choose between permanent peace and permanent war. The world is waiting.