Nation's guardians

The Security Forces are the guardians of the Nation. The service they render on land, sea and in the air is immeasurable. Over the last three decades of the ethnic conflict, thousands of Security forces personnel have made the supreme sacrifice while many others have become disabled. One day, or even one month, is not enough to express our gratitude for their heroic deeds.

But the Ranaviru (War Heroes) commemoration month and the Ranaviru Day (June 7) give us an impetus to collectively express the Nation's gratefulness to the Security forces and Police/STF personnel, past and present. As President Mahinda Rajapaksa pointed out at the Ranaviru commemoration ceremony at Mailapitiya on Thursday.

Others can live sans fear and suspicions thanks to the valiant battlefield efforts of Armed Forces personnel against the LTTE and their relentless dedication to protect the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty. It is thus heartening to see a resurgence in the interest among youth to join the Security Forces.

Reminiscent of the US Army's 'Be All You Can Be' campaign, the Security Forces are increasingly being seen as a viable professional career path by many youth. Desertions too have been drastically reduced.

The rapport between the public and the Forces is also developing in a very positive manner, as exemplified by the award-winning 'Together for All' campaign. The Security Forces have been able to prevent a number of attacks in the city based on the information provided by alert civilians.

The humanitarian operations conducted by the Forces/STF in the East have brought them closer to the civilians who are finally free of the Tigers' claws. However, more officers and soliders should learn Tamil to effectively communicate with Northern and Eastern civilians. Overcoming the language barrier is essential to win their hearts and minds.

A correct political leadership as well as forward-thinking military leadership are also vital at this crucial juncture. Thankfully, the Security Forces have been endowed with these attributes.

While the political leadership is fully backing the Forces' endeavours, there is no politically motivated interference in their affairs. The Forces' 'right man to the right place' policy has also paid dividends in the battlefield. The procurement of latest military equipment has also strengthened the Armed Forces.

The Security Forces are well aware that this problem cannot be resolved by military means alone. It is a multi-pronged approach of which weakening the enemy is one of the most important planks.

Only by diminishing or eliminating the adversary's fighting capabilities and resources can the authorities expect to negotiate from a position of strength to secure lasting peace. The Security Forces must receive the support of the entire nation for this noble endeavour.
 

Developing tourism

Tourism is one of Sri Lanka's biggest foreign exchange earners. Over the last few decades, the island has earned a reputation as a tourism hotspot in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka offers a myriad of attractions in a compact island, be it beaches, wildlife, cultural and religious monuments, excellent shopping or hill stations.

Several recent events have affected tourism to some extent but it is a resilient industry which always bounces back. Another factor in the industry's favour is that no tourists have been harmed in terrorist incidents. Tourists keep coming in even from some countries which had given negative advice to their citizens.

Nevertheless, the industry cannot afford to rest on its laurels Sri Lanka receives only around 500,000 tourists a year, which pales into insignificance compared to the six million visitors attracted by Singapore and Hong Kong, which are much smaller.

One of the main ways of addressing this problem is looking for tourists from within. The country's growing middle class is increasingly looking for ways to spend their disposable income and family holidays have become a favourite option. However, many of them cannot still afford to stay in four or five star hotels frequented by foreign visitors. Transport bills add to the burden.

It is in this context that we commend an initiative by the Ministry of Tourism and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board to provide low cost packages at quality hotels for Lankan families, with transport thrown in. These packages should be provided for both leisure and religious destinations.

Another decision to encourage Lankan expatriates to send one or more of their foreign friends to Lanka is also commendable. One person in such a group will receive free air travel and accommodation. This is a good way of showing the beauty of Sri Lanka to the world as firsthand experience and word of mouth are by far the best advertisements.

Undertaking promotional campaigns especially in new markets is also a positive step. It is time we looked beyond the traditional markets to attract more high-spending tourists who can make a positive impact to develop the industry.