Independence

This independent day, the 61st, is very different from the previous ones I have passed so far. I feel like we have a reason to celebrate this time.

The independence doesn't mean anything if a part of the island or the coastal line is beyond our control. We are not free, if we have to rule ourselves according to the likes and dislikes of foreign powers no matter how important and powerful they are.

Starting from early 1980s, the Sri Lankan government gradually lost its control over northern eastern part of the island. This trend continued till the end of year 2005 and the total area we did not have our control over well exceeded 15,000 squire kilometers.

Our leadership was so lame we ended up forging agreements with a terrorist organization to demarcate territories under their control. We waited till an illegal de facto state was created within the state with its own police, court system, and tax scheme.

The circles of various activists who would not hesitate to rally in Colombo streets for every single minor social, political and economics issue were seen remaining silent about this process of monumental scale violation of the law of the land.

The same good Samaritans rush to Supreme Court to make sure we get cheap petrol today, never bothered to stop a terrorist organization extorting the poor citizens who wanted to travel from one point to another point within the country they were born.

Thanks to the professionalism and dedication of security forces, however, now we are seeing this disastrous process reversed. The world’s most ruthless organization once called unbeatable is now being reduced to almost nothing. The same army used to lose battalions to “baby brigades” of Prabhakan, now scoring victory after victory.

Finally the entire country is going to be under the control of its legitimately elected government. All Sri Lankans are soon going to be under one flag.

I never expected all these to happen this soon. Without any doubt this is the single most achievement Sri Lanka achieved since I was born. Therefore I think I have a reason to celebrate our 61st independence day with lots of excitement.

However, our problems will not end here. Our struggle for independence is not yet over.

We as a nation have miserably failed to unite all groups of Sri Lankan as one nation. Sinhalease as a majority have failed to win the confidence of the minorities. The minorities have been harassing the majority with undue demands using the highly volatile political status of the country.

This is the time to forgive, reconcile and compromise. This is the time to recall the will of the dead and think of the future of the unborn.

I sincerely hope, we will not lose our sight and move towards the right direction so our next independence days will be increasingly meaningful to all of us.