Post-war Sri Lanka could be a boon to the world
The ending would not have been any different with the Tiger
leadership determined to fight to the very end and the last minute
efforts to mediate a ceasefire as emerged from WikiLeakes reveal the
mediators were unable to contact Prabhakaran who was probably waiting
for a escape route which he was expecting but never arrived.
The dramatic end to man made wars are no different to natural
disasters that wreak havoc and leave a trail of disaster in similar
proportions. The Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 took away 40,000 lives and
same unverified numbers are mentioned in the Report. But what we fail to
realize is that those who died have given some hope to those who
continue to live with the harrowing experiences of war and trying to
re-build their lives and livelihoods in the aftermath.
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People protesting against the controversial Darusman Report.
Picture by Nissanka Wijeratne |
The peace and tranquility that returns from Armistice could not have
been had without those dying on both sides (spoils of war) in every war
known to mankind.
War is said to be a tragedy but with time becomes a farce. The
American civil war ended 150 years ago and now Americans are asking
themselves what was it all about.
Sri Lanka as we all know had come to the nadir of endurance
economically and mentally and the sacrifice of a Fugitive/Misanthrope
with his dwindling followers was a relief to Sri Lanka, the Indian
sub-continent and the civilized world.
The Indian elections ended on May 16, 2009, the results were
announced on the 17th and 18th, everything left of the war came to a
sudden death finish. I am sure everyone will agree that the shooting of
bin Laden just after the release of the Report echoed similar
sentiments.
Two years on - Sri Lanka and its people are rising from the ‘Ashes of
War’, and all those who for their own selfish agendas and fanning embers
have learned nothing.
Finally the Post -War Sri Lanka like after WW2 could initiate a
‘Colombo Plan’ Mark Two and help revive Multilateral World Trade using
IOR-ARC the 19 member regional body of the Indian Ocean Rim Countries
which are practically all Commonwealth members and thereafter await the
restoration of the ‘Doha Round’ that the WTO is trying to bring back
into operation after lying in deep freeze for over ten years. The Indian
Ocean is the great connector with Sri Lanka manning the Gate to the
entire Asia-Pacific and the International Sea Lane which carries the
vast bulk of trade between Europe and Asia with millions of barrels of
oil in Giant Tankers to the energy-hungry Asian Powers.
Security challenges
Further IOR-ARC can help in many other security challenges, from
people-smuggling, illegal fishing, piracy and terrorism. The report is
in itself an anti-climax/thesis/natural justice and an anathema to World
Peace. Ending the war and bringing peace of mind, light and hope to all
Sri Lankans living on this planet is something we will always be
grateful to our President and Armed Services.
- Trevor Jayetileke
Melbourne, Australia
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