It needs to give Lanka a clear-cut political direction. It is important to note that the majority the people in the North and South are for a political solution. Called on to respond second, Dr. Yuvi Thangarajah, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Eastern University, pointed out the importance of the State taking a definitive position on the ethnic issue. If State policy is that there will be no ethnic violence, there couldn't be ethnic violence. It was pointed out that the people of the North-East don't have control over what's going on in the region.
People living in conflict areas are the biggest champions of peace.
This was clearly seen at the last presidential elections. In the East, people in their numbers from the 'uncleared' areas came out to vote. When asked why they did so they said that the opposition leader, as in the case of the President in 1994, had promised a negotiated settlement to the ethnic issue. This encouraged them into voting. Dr. Thangarajah alleged that prior to the Nineties, discrimination by the State against the North - East people was not 'official'.