One country, one goal: Peace

Ven. Dr. Walpola PIYANANDA

COUNTRY FIRST: Twenty-four years. Twenty-four years of pain, frustration, division, and needless death. That’s been the fate of our beautiful island, but it doesn’t have to be. And it need not be, if our country’s politicians can put their country first, before their party’s agenda or their personal agendas.

I’ve travelled back and forth between the U.S. and Sri Lanka for the past 30 years, and I’ve had the opportunity to observe the American political system very carefully. Certainly, when it’s election time, American politicians can be vicious, campaigning mercilessly against their opponents.

Yet, when the race is run, when the elections are completed, and it’s time to form a government, not everything revolves around a given party’s success. The best people are chosen to work in the government, and often they are of the opposition party.

This is because, while opposition parties don’t give up their position, they are able to work with the country’s interests at heart.

So the government is not full of party cronies (though there are plenty of those as well), but has a varied representation from the people.

When 9/11 occurred, all Americans united regardless of party affiliation. Those who disliked President Bush didn’t stop disliking him, but they put aside their personal preferences for the good of all. This is a lesson we need to learn in Sri Lanka.

Perhaps you know the old Chinese story of the five fingers, each of which claimed to be the best. The thumb said it was the strongest. The index finger said it was the most elegant, and could point out things.

The middle finger claimed its right as the longest. The ring finger felt it deserved special attention as the ring bearer. And the pinky claimed that, when joining the hands in prayer, it was closest to the Buddharupa and therefore the most worthy.

But what is a hand worth without all the fingers working together? Can a thumb eat a meal? Can an index finger hold a baby?

This is a question our politicians in Sri Lanka need to reflect on. The Aranavibhanga Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya says “thinking only your way of thinking, speaking or acting is right, can cause conflict.” Nobody has a monopoly on being right!

The Government under president Mahinda Rajapaksa has been making great strides towards ending the civil war, but these efforts are being threatened.

During the previous administrations of former presidents J.R. Jayewardene, R. Premadasa, and Chandrika Kumaratunga, our efforts in combating the LTTE have often been hampered by poor morale in the military.

There were a few officials who had taken commissions on arms purchases, and in general we had seen the unbuddhistic self-serving actions so typical of our politics.

The LTTE could easily buy information from unsuspecting people who only thought of the money they received, not aware that they were putting their fellow countrymen at risk.

But we have now seen improvement, tremendous improvement. Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has done an amazing job.

He has decades of military experience. While studying in the U.S. he earned degrees in Business Administration and he gained first hand experience from working at Loyola Marymount University in the administrative levels.

He has raised the Army’s morale, eliminated corruption, and made the military more efficient and confident. His high moral standards, complete honesty, and strong character have been an inspiration to the military forces.

He has the ability to face opposition with honour, and works to defeat terrorism without resorting to taking personal revenge. He has almost liberated the East coast from terrorists and the Navy keep an ever watchful eye on the coast destroying many ships that attempt to smuggle arms into the country.

The men of the Armed Forces have great respect for the compassion of Rajapaksa for he has concern for the wounded. He has implemented programs for their rehabilitation.

But we are concerned about the few people who are personally attacking him. Perhaps those who attack him think that they will gain power and prestige, but at what cost? Are they willing to sacrifice the well-being of the country for a little personal satisfaction for an imagined slight to their ego?

Can they not find a way to put aside their anger for it not only consumes themselves but ignites the whole country. Do they consider that by causing all this confusion, that they are helping the LTTE terrorists?

Those with personal axes to grind, who are making personal attacks on him are doing a great disservice to the country they claim to care for. Can anyone face the threat of a lawsuit for two hundred million rupees without being affected? We fear that if these internal personal attacks on him continue, he won’t have the peace of mind necessary to concentrate on his difficult task, one which has been yielding great success in bringing peace and liberty to our island home.

Those who attack him should realise that future generations will blame them as the ones who kept Gotabhaya Rajapaksa from completing his mission successfully.

It’s easy to find fault. Let’s find a way to focus on the good things. As Jawaharlal Nehru said, “Let us think that the truth may not perhaps be entirely with us. Let us cooperate with others, let us, even when we do not appreciate what others say, respect their views, and their way of life.” (Wit and Wisdom of Jawaharlal Nehru)

It wouldn’t be out of place to cite a poem by a Czech, Bohumil Ontl, who immigrated to the U.S. after WWII. He wrote:

When you’ve lost your temper,

you’ve lost your reason, too.

You’ll not be proud of anything

which in anger you may do.

When in anger you have spoken

and been by emotion led,

You’ll have uttered something

that you’ll wish you’d never said.

In anger you will never do

a kindly deed, or wise.

But many things for which you’ll feel

you should apologize.

In looking back upon your life,

and al you’ve lost or made,

You’ll never find a single time

when anger ever paid.

So cultivate kind patience,

and grow wise as you age.

Never act, nor speak a word

when overcome by rage.

Remember without fail

that when your temper flies,

You’ll never do a worthy thing,

A decent deed, or wise.

Please, let us put aside all differences, at least until we accomplish our goal - peace and freedom from terrorists. This is a critical time, and an opportunity we may not get again. Let’s remember the five fingers, let’s work together, and bring peace and freedom to all people of Sri Lanka. May you be well and happy.

(The writer is the Chief Nayake Thera for the U.S., President, Sri Lanka Sangha Council for the U.S. and Canada)