However, the fact that the North-East populace yearns for peace provides grounds for optimism. On being called on to respond, Professor Tissa Vitharana, convenor of the National Alliance for Peace, pointed to the distinction between the State and the Government. Among other things, he pointed out that partition could have a train of events which will be disastrous for the country. Professor Vitharana said that civil society has to create a 'pressure situation' which would force the LTTE to join the political dialogue. The current PA-UNP talks hold out some promise.
Civil society has to take the process forward.
The media, which is not doing enough in this connection, should also help out in this process. There is such a thing as Tamil fascism although the same couldn't be said of the Sinhala hardline response to the ethnic conflict. No Tamil politician has been killed so far, by Southern nationalistic organisations, although the LTTE has killed a Lankan president and an Indian prime minister. The LTTE per se has to be handled militarily. After a lively round of discussions, during which many more participants expressed their views, Dr. Ignatieff made a summing-up response to the points raised.