India firmly behind Lanka's endeavour to build united nation

Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

LECTURE: India will back Sri Lanka on its solution to build a united nation and to move towards larger goals and preoccupations said Shree Mani Shankar Aiyar, Union Cabinet Minister of Panchayat Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports and frontliner in the ruling Congress Party in India, delivering the 47th memorial lecture of late Prime Minister S.W.R. D. Bandaranaike.

Quoting Indian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Nirupama Rao, Mani Shankar said that Sri Lanka's move in building a national consensus would enable Sri Lanka to stand steady to share unity in diversity. "Several Asian countries like China, Pakistan and India have shown a rapid economic growth.

"I was glad to hear from the Central Bank Governor of Sri Lanka that with all internal problems a 8% economic growth was reported in the current year," he said.

"Sri Lanka is associated with Buddha and is a land of serenity. Thus it was called Serendib. It was a shock beyond measure when S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike was assassinated.

"He was recognized as an equal to the others when Oxford Union elected him as their president," Shankar said.

Referring to the theme "Current situation in Asia, particularly Southern Asia" Mani Shankar pointed out that Asia has to usher a political system that suits its culture and its values.

"There was a recovery of self confidence in the respective freedom struggles of Nehru and Bandaranaike.

"Asia was dominant in political, philosophical, literary and moral fields.

If we were to find out others' quarrels our own identity will disappear. We need to be ourselves with elements of nationality. Asia became a playground of other peoples' ambition. So we were divided. There is very little doubt that in the 21st century Asia can unite," he explained.

"Our challenge is to restore Asia with its traditions. Our aim is not to dominate the world. Our aim is to harness all genius and use our resources in eradicating poverty and replacing the conflicts. The goal of Asian unity is not to be placed in distant future but to be achieved in our own life times," he said underlining the importance of being united.

Walking down the paths of history, Shankar reminiscences that India and Sri Lanka have been at the crossroads between West Asia and East Asia.

"This is the happening place. But the regional corporation is far short in South Asia.

"The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and Sri Lanka is a huge success. FTA has become a win-win agreement for both. It widened the partnership for prosperity and spread the arch of prosperity," he said.

"In the field of energy Asia has quite a profile. West Asian oil is sold to Asian consumers with a premium and minor customers; the Europeans are given a discount. The solution to these problems is through long speeches and moral lessons. It should not only promote trade but also mutual investments," he explained.

Mani Shankar also stressed the vitality of togetherness. " We should have a sense of belonging to Asia. We don't know ourselves. We are close but we don't know each other. We need to rediscover ourselves," he said.