Lest we forget: Ten reasons to be happy
Just under a year ago, we were still worried about a bomb here or a
bomb there. Threats of terror attacks were still a stark reality. Mother
and father of the same family went to work by different modes of
transport or at different times, to ensure that their children will have
at least one parent left to care for them, in case the life of one was
taken away in a bloody incident.
Mothers were losing their sons, wives, husbands, children their
parents, those in love their loved ones, soldiers and LTTE cadres lost
their lives in active combat, while others died in most unexpected
circumstances. Today, thankfully that is over. That to me is reason
number one, we could be happy.
Rebuilding lives
Over 400,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs); our own brethren
stamped with a label, had to be looked after and cared for under most
trying conditions.
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Back to
school but war-torn lives have to be rebuilt soon. File
photo |
That was less than ten months ago. Most of them are back in their own
areas now, slowly but surely rebuilding their lives once again. Around
50,000 of them are still awaiting better conditions. Although they are
free to leave the temporary shelters at their will, they continue to
remain for want of a more solid and hopeful future. What we should be
happy about, is that all this happened under the supervision of the very
Armed Forces that ended the suffering and pain caused by the LTTE. Most
of these people had earlier been in a state of captivity.
Working together with several key civil society organizations, INGOs
and individuals giving their time, energy and resources, an end to their
suffering was brought about. We should be happy that this happened
without politicians being allowed to make opportunistic visits to the
IDP camps to make ‘hay while the sun shone’ or give empty promises, that
would have never been honoured.
Irresistible lure
The fighting was over and the calm set in. European winters were
unusually severe and tourists began to arrive on our shores again,
showing double digit growth. They demonstrated that the slogans sung of
accusations of violations of rights, could not hold the lure of the sun,
sand, green and the smiles of the Sri Lankans they knew. Presidential
elections or the politics of vengeance that were on did not bother them.
Except for the few stung by hornets (believed to be incarnations of the
keepers of Sigiriya), the rest of them returned with fond memories of
time and money well-spent. To me, that would be reason number three to
make us happy.
Reaching out
Reason number four, relates directly to our Head of State, who had by
now become quite a fluent speaker of the Tamil language.
The example set by him, even had the most ardent of his critics
dumbfounded at times. Some even went on to suggest, he was using tele-prompters
to make an impression.
But now we know that it was hard work done with tutors that made him
in the least, be able to reach out to his Tamil speaking constituency.
The fact that they did not vote for him en-mass is not the issue
here. It is the effort made and the honest intention, while some other
leaders, after long years in politics struggle even today, to
communicate in their Mother Tongue.
‘Learn and speak English your way’ campaign and the ‘IT for all’
program through the ‘Nane Sala’ centres need be seen also as attempts at
national unification. Needless to say, that what make us all truly
happy, will be when we see those words spoken transform into solid
action, to make our nation entirely prejudice-free, where all
communities will be able to live in harmony, celebrating our diversity
to the fullest.
Due legal process
We get to the halfway mark on our reasons to be happy list, with
assurances made to the Leader of the Opposition, by the Head of State
that due legal process will take effect, in dealing with any alleged
misdeeds committed by the former Commander of the Army.
We saw how convinced and confident, the Leader of the Opposition was
of the validity of that assurance, when he spoke about it to the media
upon his returning from the meeting. It even made us wonder if there was
more on the discussion agenda, on that day. Whatever may have been, when
political opponents meet for cordial discussion that must make us happy,
for when they agree to work together, that indeed would be a ‘win-win’
situation for all Sri Lankans.
Independent supervision
We should be happy that our Election Commissioner is performing his
duties without fear or favour, in difficult circumstances. We should not
hold anything against him, when in extreme stressful conditions he
confessed that he wished he had taken on early retirement.
We must be thankful and happy that he has agreed to remain in office
to see another election happen under his independent supervision. We
should be happy that conditions for that to happen has been facilitated
by the powers that be, contrary to the statements made by the katakatha
(rumour mongering) brigade just after the completion of the last
election.
Wisdom of rural folk
For my seventh reason to be happy, I choose to salute the wisdom of
our rural folk. In spite of wide-spread electronic media coverage, short
message systems (SMS), the katakatha and door to door campaigning, they
have remained loyal and grateful and supported the cause of taking on
future development of the country based on a region centred approach.
They had seen through much of the ‘noise’ we urbanites hear, read and
even believe to be true. Our rural folk have chosen to vote, not for
rhetoric but for substance. While that should make us happy, we will be
elated, if they choose to weed out the bad and elect only the good as
our representatives at the upcoming general election.
Good governance
Pledges made to end nepotism, placing full-stops on bribery and
corruption, drug dealing, consumption of alcoholic beverages, taking on
mechanisms to establish transparent ways of running Government business,
ending the waste and raping of our natural resources, bringing
discipline on our roads and making the rule of law prevail, together
make the eighth reason for us to be happy. But these may remain only
pipe-dreams if our executive, legislator, the judiciary and right action
by our civil society leaders, do not all gel to make the right
commitments.
We know that there will be a way, if there is a will. Getting that
will solidly behind the intent will not only make us happy, but also
make us proud to be sons and daughters of Mother Lanka.
Without givers no takers
The ninth reason touches on our business community. The day they
realize that seeking devious ways of beating tender procedures,
applications for allocation of land, logging permits, privileges based
on who knows whom and old school ties etc. not to be the right way
forward for us, that should give us ample reason to be happy.
The dictum of ‘without a giver, there can not be takers’ must prevail
at all times and that should help clean up much of the mess, we see
around us.
Waste not
Last but not least, there is cause for happiness in the fact, that
there is realisation that much is wrong in our midst.
The leadership has openly acknowledged that there is wasteful use of
resources in carrying a burdensome Cabinet of Ministers and the hoard of
privileges and facilities bestowed on those who are supposed to serve
us. Expressions of power, pomp and pageantry without adequate hard work
to show for it, has been the hallmark of many. The day these end, we can
be happy for we may see a restoration of public confidence re-emerging
on our system of governance.
The list can not be more exhaustive, for there is much weight on the
‘what makes us unhappy’, side of the scale. But then, we all know that,
focusing on the positives can to a greater extent also help mitigate the
negatives.
What we need to venture to do is to collectively lend our hearts and
our hands, in whatever way we can, to make it happen. For such effort is
not for the benefit of anyone or for any particular group, but for the
well-being of all of us; sons and daughters of Mother Sri Lanka.
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