Preparing for this talk was not at all easy given the highly complex nature of the subject - 'Peace in Sri Lanka'. While an end to the military confrontation could be part and parcel of the peace process, the latter, it must be recognized, is a multi-faceted undertaking that requires actions and interventions on a multiplicity of planes, not least of all the attitudinal and psychic. For peaceful living in Sri Lanka would involve not only frictionless co-existence among communities but also a relationship of understanding, love and kindness among them. In other words, 'love for one's neighbour', the recognition of the human dignity of the other, the recognition of the other as being entitled to the same rights as oneself, should be central to the realisation of peace in Sri Lanka.
Peace is nothing less than love for one's fellow humans.
These are not impossible ideals to strive for. For it is such values that underlie any Bill of Human Rights, they are the flesh and blood, so to speak, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which the majority of states subscribes. These fundamental rights, have proved to be part of both international and local political discourse in recent times. They have their roots in a resurgent humanism which places a high premium on the dignity of the individual. So the realisation of the rights of every citizen, irrespective of his or her caste, creed or ethnic origins, should be central to the peace process in Sri Lanka.