Will President Rajapaksa
seize this opportunity?

President Rajapaksa enjoys almost the total support of the Sinhala Buddhists.
He need not fear any opposition. The UNP too has offered to join hands

At the outset, I wish to record the appreciation of the Tamil people about the following matters: the advice the  Mahanayake of the Malwatte Chapter the Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Thera gave  President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was honoured on Saturday; the exemplary manner in which the Sinhalese people behaved during the victory celebrations, and the offer Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe made on Monday to, “join hands with the government to create an atmosphere for all communities to live in peace and harmony.”
Malwatte Mahanayake advised the President to win over the Tamil people.  The Tamil people would be grateful to him if he guides the government in this matter. His backing would help reduce the roadblocks the extremist groups like the JVP would place before the government. The JVP has already announced that it would not permit devolution of power as the basis of a solution.
Tamils are happy that they were not harassed or teased during the celebrations as they feared might happen. That was because of their past experience. Tamil people have noted with gratitude President Rajapaksa’s request to the Sinhala people not to hurt the feelings of others. By ‘others’ he definitely meant the Tamils.
This column is anxious that the President and the government should build on this goodwill by taking the following actions:
Firstly, the rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced people of Vanni. Tamils living in other parts of the country receive regular information from those housed in the camps. Those reports confirm what UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called, “Most saddening scenes.”
‘Helpers’ helping themselves
Last week I pointed out about the ‘helpers’ who are trying to help themselves. More disturbing information has reached this column. I wish to request the government to be watchful about corruption, which is the omnipresent ‘practice’ in this country.  As the government has promised, and the Opposition Leader had pointed out, the displaced persons should be resettled in their villages soon.
Secondly, Tamils would be more comfortable if the ‘glance of suspicion’ to which they are subjected to, is gradually removed. They realise that would take time, but the start should be made. The fact that they are looked with suspicion, not only hurts them but also affect their safety, freedom of movement and even employment opportunities.
Thirdly and most importantly, steps should be taken to remove from the Tamils their sense of skepticism. Tamils have developed a sense of distrust about the promises, pronouncements and even legislations.  Their refrain is: “They (the Sinhalese leaders) will promise but will not honour them. They will issue statements but will forget about them thereafter. They will enact legislations but will not implement them.”
This type of thinking has been embedded into the Tamil psyche. This was not their fault. That was their experience since independence. They have seen two pacts solemnly signed but torn thereafter. Bandaranaike- Chelvanayakam Pact of 1958 was torn because the UNP opposed it, saying that would pave the way for the division of the country. Dudley Senanayake – Chelvanayakam Pact of 1965 was not implemented because the SLFP said that would result in the division of the country.
The District Development Council scheme introduced in 1982 was not properly implemented.  The Provincial Councils Act and the 13th Amendment enacted in 1987 are yet to be fully implemented. And after nearly 22 years, a Ministerial Committee is talking about giving the Provincial Councils Police powers to deal only with minor offences, and the land powers without the powers to distribute crown land to the settlers.  President Rajapaksa government should take some concrete action to remove from the Tamil people this sense of skepticism. It can be done through simple administrative measures. Making arrangements to record complaints and statements in Tamil at the Police stations will definitely make the Tamils feel that they treated as citizens of this country.
Ranil’s offer
Now I come to the third matter: Ranil Wickremesinghe’s offer to join hands with the government to create an atmosphere for all communities to live in peace and harmony. If he had said this a month ago Tamils would have looked at it with cynicism. They have seen so much of peace talks and other time buying exercises.
I have covered two All Party Conferences and the proceedings of two Parliamentary Select Committees since January 10, 1984. Kumar Ponnambalam asked President Jayewardene after he delivered the inaugural address that morning, “How long will the conference take to work out a solution, Sir?
“About three months,” the President replied with a smile.
He abandoned the conference on December 21, soon after Indira Gandhi who was pressing for a political solution was assassinated. Then Rajiv Gandhi took over and signed the Indo- Sri Lanka Agreement with President Jayewardene on July 29, 1987.
I also covered the Second All Party Conference President Ranasinghe Premadasa convened in 1990 to consider residual matters. But nothing came out of it.  Then two Parliamentary Select Committees produced voluminous reports. Time only passed but nothing happened. Then for the last three years the All Party Representatives Committee met, and its good chairman keeps on announcing that that agreement had been reached on 90 percent of the issues.
This has happened mainly due to the UNP- SLFP contest as to who served the Sinhala Buddhists better.
I was a student when Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala visited Jaffna in 1954. He was asked at a reception given at Kokuvil Hindu College on November 30, four days after Pirapaharan was born, to spell out his government’s language policy. “Sinhala and Tamil ,” he replied. Bandaranaike who had led the UNP and formed the SLFP in 1952, started a campaign to make Sinhala as the official language.  UNP wanted to do better. It passed a resolution in its annual convention held in December 1955 promising that it would make Sinhala the official language. UNP said in February 1956 that it would make Sinhala only the official language, Bandaranaike outwitted the UNP by promising Sinhala Only in 24 hours. The contest to win Sinhala Buddhist votes has gone on since then. If one party agrees to accommodate Tamil interests the other opposes.
Now a new situation has come into existence. President Rajapaksa enjoys almost the total support of the Sinhala Buddhists. He need not fear any opposition. The UNP too has offered to join hands. Will President Rajapaksa seize this opportunity?