Freedom can last purely on peoples' spirit
(By: Dr. Tilak S. Fernando)
 A new era
dawned on Sri Lanka on 4 February 1948 when its governance changed from
the Colonial rule to an independent sovereignty. A unique factor in
achieving self-determination marked a 'struggle' without having to shed
a single drop of blood. A few patriotic political leaders' efforts in
restoring the self-respect of a populace that had been crushed under the
foreign boot of Portuguese, Dutch, and the British, over four centuries,
recorded this very aspect as an immeasurable service rendered to the
Nation.
Independence of a nation after four centuries of
foreign dominance should have showed the way to a superlative
transformation once the foreign barriers were removed. Understandably
one could not have expected for an 'enslaved' nation to wake up
overnight through any kind of overwhelming jingoism or by magic from a
centuries old ' slumber' under a colonial boot! People of Sri Lanka have
been exceedingly patient in this regard and given the new native rulers
bags of time over sixty long years to shell off from the old mentality,
the attitudes, social degradation and corruption the ' white masters'
had imposed on the nation.
Theoreticians and political analysts have assessed the
post independent Sri Lanka with negative comments often, sighting all
administrations that had been appointed at general elections out of
universal franchise promising the people to maintain and continue the
political freedom they achieved with economic autonomy. At every
election rally the new breed of governors of the country had been
preaching the people that, 'mere independence was not worth its salt, if
the country was allowed to remain in eternal poverty'. Yet what people
have witnessed and experienced for the last sixty years is only the
emergence of two main political parties of green and blue promising the
people sun, moon and the earth with a brighter 'tomorrow'!
How would the memories of a generation who experienced
the difference between the foreign rule with that of our own Sri Lankan
governance compare after the freedom? They could perhaps write and add
to the Ceylon history how our own rulers have been abusing power freely,
gagging the freedom of expression at various stages, aiding violence and
engaged in war. In their own experiences they would record how they
witnessed the degradation of human values; injustice and corruption
prevailed and became contagious; repugnantly witnessed their own
brothers and sisters getting murdered, corpses floating on rivers and
lakes and decapitated human bodies burning on road-side-spikes with
fetid yellow liquids draining out in the form of melting human body oil
and a segment of the society, once so friendly, brotherly and
cooperative, turned into a most ruthless gang of terrorists and murdered
the young, old (men and women), politicians and rulers of this country
indiscriminately in the name of ' freedom'.
So, after sixty long years of hopelessness in the
minds of people in this country what could future hold for them? May be
they can see an infinitesimal ray of hope emerging out of the blue in
the form of a feint silver lining through the dark clouds of the past.
If one were to believe in the law of Cause and Effect, then it is high
time that Sri Lanka should progress culturally and spiritually as a
nation. These two aspects of human life (culture and spirituality)
flourish naturally when a nation is freed from suppression.
'Spirituality is not mere religion or faith but it goes beyond to the
humanism of man. The spirit of a nation is the bold outcry of its soul.
A dispirited nation is a state that has sold its soul. Culture is not
mere act but has more to do with the morale embossed in our hearts'.
What Sri Lanka needs today, even after sixty long
years, is a dedicated and determined patriotic leader who understands
the human misery and who has the common touch with his people. When that
happens one could see the dawning of the golden age for Sri Lanka. In a
'golden age' scenario people could expect politicians to be genuine in
their promises and act sincerely during elections and after coming into
power. Those who are destined to become members of the opposition will
have to refrain from getting bogged down in the same old rut of
criticising those who govern, for the sake of being in the opposition,
bearing in mind that they are nothing but representatives of the people
whom the public elects to the parliament to represent their particular
constituencies. .
Perhaps only the next generation of people in this
land will be able to witness fully and bear the fruits of the rapid
advancement and development programmes in the country for which the
foundations are being laid right now.
People in the 'golden age' may once again begin to
respect each other. All religions may merge to form a powerful
inter-faith lobby. Teachers in schools may turn professional once again
and commit themselves as traditional 'gurus' to eliminate the private
tuition-fungus from the education system and the children will once
again get their childhood and independence back. Clergy may confine to
their temples, churches and mosques in propagating their characteristic
religious duties. Buddhist priests, in conforming to centuries-old-
tradition of being advisers to the rulers of this land, will still be
guiding the head of state as customary. It may not be necessary to waste
tax payers' money any more on commissions to investigate fraud and
bribery. With only a skeletal cabinet of ministers, rulers may
demonstrate their skills and serve the people without getting caught up
in ' political party cross- over' and number games.
Ultimately with complete harmony, balance and peace
prevailing in the country the word 'terrorism' may be a thing in the
past. With international financial aid flooding in from the European
Union, Japan and other donor countries, Jaffna, Batticaloa and
Trincomalee towns may transform into fashionable and sophisticated new
townships like in Germany and Paris. Motor ways and express ways may
replace the old pot-holed and gravel roads in the north and east;
metros, underground tube trains and channel tunnels may extend Sri
Lankan's travel from the newly developed area to Tamil Nadu, India and
Maldives revolutionising the whole transport network of Sri Lanka.
As an additional boost to the economy crude oil and
gas may start to flow from Sri Lanka's north sea oil platforms to
transform this pearl of the Indian ocean into a modern but mini USA
replacing the motor bicycles and 'tuc tuc' three wheelers with ultra
modern limousines .
Perhaps journalists writing about the future
independent anniversaries may be able to write about how the Colombo
Administration resolved the terrorist menace from the Sri Lankan soil
for good by eliminating the radical fanatics who terrorised, suppressed
and killed their own kind and found a political solution to bail out
those helpless Tamil folk in the north and east, who were threatened and
marooned by the terrorist outfit. This would not only will shut the
faces of those who were na‹ve or for political gain became critical and
kept on harping on a political settlement alone with terrorists who
never wanted peace. Finally Sri Lanka may appear as a role model to
combat international terrorism.
In this golden age, King Parakramabahu's advice to
'make use of every drop of water before it is allowed to drain away to
the seas' may become a reality once again with irrigation developed,
home grown food becoming plentiful and in abundance to be self
sufficient, and Sri Lanka once again be self sufficient to be called the
Paradise Island once again.
The underline factor is that freedom will last as long
as people' spirit lasts as a nation.
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