|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 15 June 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Needed - National Day of Reconciliation
"The people of Sri Lanka know from their experience how bitter divisions within the community can be. Many people had lost their lives in the war. For death, there is no race or religion," she added. I believe we have seldom seen a time in which it would have been more fitting than the present moment for all our political, social and religious leaders to come together. They have to come together as a unified team and prove to the people that they seek true reconciliation for our nation. In the work ahead, the old labels and divisions over which we have quarrelled must be set aside to accomplish the larger purpose to which we are called as a nation. Faith traditions It is a time for concern to find expression in action. Our multiple faith traditions speak as if with one voice in directing our thoughts, words and deeds. Buddhism encourages us to set aside ill-will in thought and speech. Hinduism urges us to unite in our minds and in our purposes. Islam calls us to recognition that "all human creatures are God's children" and that "those dearest to God are those who treat God's children kindly." Christian scriptures commission followers of Jesus function as messengers of reconciliation and agents of peace. If we are to lead the way in reconciling actions, we people of all faiths must scrutinize the way we speak and act in the religious community as intensely as we examine the dynamics of hatred and violence in the rest of society. Let us not wield our sacred scriptures and oral traditions to support stereotypes that stir resentment or to praise a biased righteousness that ignores the rights of those with whom we disagree. Let those of us in the community be as honest about ourselves as we are about others and as intent on working for reconciliation among ourselves as in the world around us. Consider our nation's post-independence years. Although the independence brought many a political and social benefits, no real national efforts were made to bring about racial and religious reconciliation among the people. Actually, instead of choosing the national good and pursuing reconciliation among people, the existing divisions were used by some politicians as a tool and it only served to embellish the divide. They missed opportunities for racial and religious reconciliation that would have been so appropriate in the aftermath of the independence. True reconciliation True reconciliation is still a distance away in Sri Lanka. There are some people who are opposed to reconciliation, but there is a much larger group - including those whose self-interest is served by aligning their actions with the Government of the day - who would support reconciliation if they were confident of the current Government's priorities. And there is an even larger group of people who are determined that reconciliation among all races and religions will succeed. It is their strength that gives us hope for the future. Reconciliation, as a word or public policy tool, is synonymous with understanding, tolerance, appeasement, compromise and settlement. But unlike reconciliation talks in a corporate boardroom between management and labour after a hostile takeover, strike action, or mass layoff, the ramifications of reconciliation talks at a state or national level are more far-reaching. No amount of generous offers by the Government will be enough unless the citizens are convinced that the perpetrators of harm to the body politic have sincerely exhausted every effort to acknowledge guilt and atone. The government does not have the luxury of the "take it or leave it" proposition available to corporate executives. And this is true because a state or country cannot unfold on a whim and cease to exist due to uncontrollable political and socio-economic problems as any business entity could do as a result of huge financial losses. So there is a delicate interest. And this delicate interest demands that all parties to the conflict must measure any talks of national reconciliation in terms of concrete actions. National reconciliation talks will crumple at the outset the very moment each party feels justified in its action against the other. True reconciliation is a 'give and take' proposition, and neither the victor nor victim (aggrieved or aggressor) can be seen to be adamant in its negotiating position. For instance, a man who suffered eviction and demolition of his home in a land dispute cannot be expected to reconcile with the new occupants of the land whilst he and his family sleep in the street or live with relatives. For reconciliation to take place, it is incumbent upon the new occupants of the land to be willing to either share portion of the land with the old occupants, or compensate the old occupants to acquire new property elsewhere. Equally, it is incumbent upon the old occupants to accept the offers of the new land occupants and move on. Otherwise, the resultant conflict and its associated circles of violence and retribution will continue endlessly, and peace and reconciliation will be an ever-elusive goal. And this is exactly where the major Sri Lankan national reconciliation process stands at the moment! Day of reconciliation We must revisit the reasons that led to the independence of our nation, and understand that personal security, freedom, justice, and fair play are the impetus for national unity, peace and reconciliation. We have seen too much bloodshed in the last two decades. And a once proud people are now reduced to beggars in their own homeland and in foreign countries. A whole generation of Sri Lankans have been exposed to such gruesome killings, rape, torture and displacements that their futures now hang in the balance, and the likelihood of them ever becoming productive citizens is bleak. It is in this respect, I believe, a National Day of Reconciliation would be a good idea as an initial step to acknowledge that they are all equal before the people. Over the years we were looking for a way to reconcile our country. Recent events have only deepened our conviction that reconciliation is needed and necessary. In the wake of failing negotiations and ethnic misunderstandings, the imperative underlying a Day of Reconciliation takes on a heightened sense of urgency and weight. Maybe, there are only a few countries which dedicate a national public holiday to reconciliation. But then there are few nations with our history of enforced division and sustained conflict. The people in Sri Lanka are trying to make a decisive break with the past. We have, in real life, declared our shared allegiance to peace, non-racialism and democracy; our yearning for a harmonious nation of equals. We are turning the variety of our languages and cultures, once used to divide us, into a source of strength and richness. But we do know that healing the wounds of the past and freeing ourselves of its burden will be a long and demanding task. A dedicated Day of Reconciliation can celebrate the progress we have made; it can reaffirm our commitment; and it can measure the challenges. We have to free ourselves from the burden of yester-year; not to return there; but to move forward with the confidence of free men and women, committed to attain the best for ourselves and future generations. Reconciliation means working together to correct the legacy of past injustice. It means making a success of our plans for reconstruction and development. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga recently stressed that
race, language and religion should not be used to promote divisions within
the community but towards the betterment of the country as a whole.
