Kilinochchi victory and end of slavish mentality

V.R.K. de Silva

The victory at Kilinochchi has brought to a close 500 years of imperialist domination and servitude, and the beginning of a new era where we can say proudly that the vista of our past glories have come again to guide nurture and inspire our nation on this new road.

As a starting point the valiant armed forces have to be “Worshipped To A Man” for heralding this victory. It is nothing but right to confer the highest honours on them and enact special legislation to ensure that they are looked after for life. The energy and forces generated are incalculable and this awaits the collective wisdom of the nation to channelise in new directions and perspectives.

In this journey Sri Lanka will face many obstacles but by the determination and the will of our people these will be swept aside. In doing this, anti-national and anti-social forces against the body politic should be relentlessly pursued and destroyed without compunction. Our laws have been fashioned by the imperialists to serve their aspirations. We should refashion our laws to reflect and represent the culture and values of our people.

A pointed reference has to be made against those who have opposed our struggle openly and insidiously. The vested interests, the media both local and international have vented their wrath on Sri Lanka saying that we have violated human rights and media freedom.

It is more than pertinent to refer to how they came to build up their economies and empires. Slavery in a word is the answer. This was the commercial economic and financial institution of slavery that funded their economies. Over 14 million human beings were transported from Africa across the Atlantic in veritable coffins to work in plantations and mines. Millions of indigenous people were exterminated in this exercise.

Every European and American nation were involved in the slave trade. Royalty were active participants and apart from the forced extraction of Gold and Silver, the Sugar, Cotton Tobacco, Pepper, Plantations were worked by slaves under inhuman conditions.

The entire banking system in Europe and the Americas to name a few Chase Manhattan, Lehman Brothers, Barclays, Baring were based on the slave trade. Loyds, the forerunners of the Insurance industry were shamelessly giving cover to the slave merchants in Africa and Americas and England with a vast and wide network. With this passing reference, it has to be mentioned that Ports were developed in Europe and the Americas on slavery. The naval academy at Dartmouth had its origins in the slave trade.

The institution of slavery was all pervading, touching every aspect of society and every European country and the US were involved. The hypocrisy of these European and American nations have to be set in their true light, when they talk about media freedom and civilized governance openly and insidiously.

They have been our enemies and should be dealt with the contempt they deserve. The slavish mentality of our people and for that matter in the Asian region, where we can give the lead, this historic victory has evaporated this slavish mentality in the one breath.

The national flag has special significance to our country today. The four Bo leaves portray the great and tenacious role of the Maha Sangha and the peace and serenity of the Dhamma of the Sacred Thatagatha, which has been the well protected and practiced legacy of the nation.

The Lion in the flag signifies, apart from courage and fearlessness the resurgence of our island nation through self-reliance in every field. This brings to our mind the unsurpassed hydraulic civilisation and culture for which Sri Lanka has been known throughout the world with wonder.