Victory? What Victory?

So finally the day has come when Sri Lanka believes no longer will its people be terrorized by the Tamil Tigers. No longer will the Lankans have to send their sons to join the Lankan army to fight the tigers. No longer will they wake up every morning listening to news of attacks and suicide bombings. And so the Lankans celebrate the victory.

But again what are they celebrating? Are they celebrating the fact that their own countrymen are now refugees? Are they celebrating the fact that the armed struggle for equal rights by the minority Tamils started because of Sinhalese nationalism? Are they celebrating the army having fought its way to victory killing and bombing Tamils and their settlements? What hollow victory is this?


The Tamil Tiger's methods may be wrong but their love for their people cannot be questioned. May be they lost sight of the ultimate goal, the welfare of the tamils, but they did start off on the right path.

To the Sri Lankan government and the majority Sinhalese, I say this. Show some humility in victory. Show some magnanimity. Show some brotherly concern. The victory dance over Tamil blood will not go down well with the now vanquished Tamils.

Your behavior will sow the seeds for future generational relationship between different ethnic groups in Sri Lanka and directly impact the island nations future. This is the time to introspect and reach out to the minorities.

If the Sri Lankan government wishes to be seen as the government of Sri Lanka instead of as the government of the Sinhalese, it must stop making crude gestures that could be misconstrued as Sinhalese chauvinism. The Sri Lankan president kissing the soil of Sri Lanka is one such. What soil is he kissing? The soil where blood of citizens were spilled?

The government and the President is advised to keep its emotions in check and get on with the task of healing and reaching out to the hearts of fallen Tamils.