Congratulations Sri Lanka 1.0

Congratulations to Sri Lanka for getting rid of the Parabahkaran and his racist band of mass murderers.

When I first started blogging about Lankan issues after the tsunami I was hoping that the LTTE will transform into post-tsunami mainstream politics, though I despised their racism. Then, when they started attacking the military I gave up on that and the only question I had was how badly the military will retaliate. When the early signs of the Trico5 and Pottuvil10 emerged I began to have my doubts as to how the fighting would be conducted above and beyond the fog-of-war scenarios. It appears that the politico-military had learnt it's lessons well. IMO the prosecution of the war has not been as cold-blooded and indiscriminate as it could have been though bloody.

Most of all however I have been interested in how the public were led and motivated to back the war and to compare it to the atmosphere around 1983 era. Tyranny of the majority or the Patriotism of the majority were the questions? particular it has been interesting to view the sense of ownership and patriotism that has been fostered under the current elites to combat the separatist agenda. There are many lessons that I have learnt in observing this process. A notable mention must go to Dayan Jayatilleke for his writings. These I feel are as important to future Sri-Lankans as the Fedrealist papers have been to the formation of the US.

Another aspect that I came across while blogging has been the peace-NGOs and the psuedo-intelligentsia. They have been the most disapointing aspect of this. While a few aimed to be the moral watchdogs of democracy a majority of them just seemed unable to be morally responsible and too out of touch with the soul of the nation. Let alone not being able to express themselves in Tamil or Singhalese. The Western European nations too have been particularly disapointing in their lack of effort to put more pressure on the LTTE, particularly towards the end.

Online and offline talking, reading and interacting with Sri Lankans in the diaspora and in the country I get the feeling that Sri Lanka has found it's sense of self for the first time since it's formation as a post-colonial liberal democracy. In my interactions, for every sinhalese nationalist voice there has been a Sri Lankan nationalist voice. This gives us heart that what we are witnessing is the emergence of Sri Lanka 1.0. A nation that I feel can in good time, ensure the liberty and equality of all individuals without prejudice. All the best of luck.

PS: Nice show by the government in not going overboard with the official end of war celebrations. Compared to the Eastern Victory celebrations these appeared to be more measured and secular.