Sri Lanka

Last week saw the official end to hostilities in Sri Lanka. A war for more than three decades was officially declared over. It once again highlighted the fact that armed conflict will never resolve disputes and a conflict that runs so long will hardly ever provide a solution. This conflict between the LTTE and the Sr Lankan govenrment could have been resolved through negotitatons several times in the past without casuing such human suffering, but for the rather uncompromising attitudes on both sides. In the end it turned out to be a disaster for the Tiger leader whom some describe as a hero and a martyr of the Tamils and the others a bloodthirsty megalomaniac. As a wag said once if he had made peace he would have been jobless because he knew nothing other than fighting.
On a trip to Colombo this week the sense of relief was visible. Check posts still operated but the soldiers manning looked a little relaxed. Last time I had to produce my passport at a number of places. It did not happen this time. Business people felt that the economy will improve and were positve of the future. However real peace will come only when the Sri Lankan government jettisons the jingostic policies of the past and works towards credibly integrating the Tamils into the nation, without succumbing to political compuslions. If this happens Rajapakse will be remembered in world history as statesman rather than in Sri Lankn history as a president who got the better of LTTE. After all, these Tamils are very much a part of Sri Lanka having been there for generations. My european colleague asked our Sri Lankan host on how to differentiate between a Singalese and a Tamil since they look the same and our host could only smile. One of our hosts really looked so Tamilian that he could not have been out of place in Chennai. Finally that is the truth. There is no difference between the peoples. The time has come to move forward.