Independence

Another Independence Day has dawned and as usual elaborate arrangements have been made to mark the event. The national flag will fly in all its majesty at homes and Government and private sector institutions. The Head of State will address the nation and the country will witness the Independence Day pageant in all its majesty on television. The matter will end there and it will be back to business thereafter.

This is the essence of all Independence Day celebrations in recent years where the day is marked as a routine event. This may be because the public has been witnessing so many ceremonies and pageants that they have lumped Independence Day too into this genre.

Independence Day is too important and significant an event to be passed off as just another celebration in the national calendar where the public enjoys a good holiday. It has to be elevated to a higher plane among national events and given a more fitting place. This is not only in the outward celebrations but also through the cultivation of an inward spirit of national fervour and patriotism.

Of course in its immediate aftermath five decades ago Independence Day was marked with much reverence and meaning. That was a time when the spirit of freedom from colonial rule was fresh in the minds of the public ingrained in the national psyche and the masses looked forward to the occasion with eager anticipation.

As with everything that ages Independence Day too has today lost its gloss in Sri Lanka with the day observed as a matter of routine. Perhaps the concept of globalization where national boundaries are fast eroding making the world community a single entity has obliterated this sense of national feeling not only here but in most other countries rendering the observation of Independence Day a routine exercise. This is particularly so with the present generation who are far removed from the spirit and feeling of independence that was kindled in a far off era.

There is therefore an urgent need by the Government to infuse a fresh sense of spirit that would make the present generation get the feeling of independence that their forefathers experienced many moons ago before this foremost national event loses all meaning and pass off as a routine celebration.

May be the liberation of the country from terrorism has gained currency among many as the true independence of Sri Lanka. This may have some validity given the manipulation still being practised by our colonial masters to undermine national sovereignty by various means, recently through exploiting the terrorist problem. For most the defeat of terrorism signified the final severing of the colonial stranglehold over this country. President Rajapaksa too said that freeing the country from terrorism has brought about true independence to the nation.

Be that as it may it is also important that this significant landmark in the country's history is not forgotten and rendered insignificant. Independence marked the regaining of our country's sovereignty. Sovereignty to any country is the lifeblood of its existence. As S W R D Bandaranaike remarked on February 4, 1948 political independence means nothing without economic independence. Hence we have to strengthen our political independence by gaining economic independence which has so far eluded us.

We also have a long way to go before achieving the goals earmarked by the rulers of the country's immediate post independence era. Presently the Government is striving to fulfil those aspirations by taking all necessary measures. The people too should make their contribution towards realization of these goals. To begin with, we should dedicate ourselves to hard work and sacrifice. Today many of us do the least we can get away with while demanding much from the State. For instance we do not have a proper work ethic and will not go that extra mile to achieve perfection. Such attitudes should be ditched if we are to collectively build this nation to make the independence achieved 63 years ago relevant and meaningful.

As mentioned the Government should commence a campaign to propagate the worth and value of independence among the present generation who are in the dark as to its true significance. Some may even not know from whom the country gained independence. The relegation of subjects such as history and civics from the school curricula also has contributed to this ignorance. Most do not know the key national figures in the country's independence struggle and the contribution and sacrifice made by leaders of all communities that ultimately gained for us our Independence.

It is by instilling the same spirit and fervour experienced by the nation on that first Independence Day six decades ago that we can inspire our people to work with a national consciousness to achieve the nation's goals and aspirations as set out by the country's immediate post independence leaders.