The answer to this million dollar question is in the affirmative if the decisions emerging from an all-party meeting held a week back are anything go by.

The meeting, called by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan represents a refreshing break from earlier meetings held on the issue, thanks to a few positive steps it has suggested to put an end to the cycle of violence which has snuffed out countless lives over the last few decades.

The most important feature of the peace meet is that unlike in the past, hereafter, various political parties have resolved not to protect those indulging in violence and practise the politics of murder. The parties will, henceforth, disown the perpetrators of violence. This is an extremely positive decision, which has been welcomed by one and all.

Equally important is the understanding reached among the parties not to mobilize their supporters in front of police stations to demand release of those arrested on charges of perpetrating violence.

Instead, the political parties would only seek legal steps to get the workers released from custody. This, the meeting said, would go a long way to defuse the tension that incidents of violence invariably creates.

An official press release on the peace meet said that parties had managed to evolve a consensus on the need to avoid using places of worship for political activities. This is a welcome decision as this has been the principal cause of many an incident resulting in violence in the past.

Another decision which must come as a great relief for the families of the victims is that houses and party offices will not be attacked in future.

The meeting has also empowered the police to take deterrent action without showing any discrimination. Firm directions will be given to the police to take impartial positions while taking decisions.

Among other creative decisions is the one to strengthen efforts to unearth the stocking of arms. Kannur has been vitiated by the stocking of lethal weapons and the mushrooming of bomb-making units, creating an atmosphere of terror among the people of the district.

Equally gratifying is the move to install CCTV cameras in important and violence-prone areas to help the police identify those indulging in violence.

Buoyed by the positive outcome of the latest peace meet, the LDF Government has decided to explore other avenues of peace, apart from meetings initiated by the Chief Minister. For instance, in future, dialogues will be held with organizations and parties which are not represented in the State Assembly as well.

The meeting was attended by representatives of various political parties. Among those present were Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, ministers KK Shylaja and Kadanappally Ramachandran, BJP State president Kummanam Rajashekharan and general secretary of the Kerala BJP K. Surendran, Additional Chief Secretary(Home) Nalini Netto and State Police chief Loknath Behera.

The latest peace meeting was held about a month and a half after the latest incident of violence in Kannur. In the last six months since the Assembly elections, as many as six persons have been killed in violence incidents.

No wonder, the latest peace meeting has raised expectations of lasting peace all round. All that the Government needs to do to consolidate the gains of the peace meet is to ensure speedy implementation of the decisions taken at the meet. (IPA Service)