Dr. Gunaratne’s Advice On Conflict Is More Mythical Than To Reality
By Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe -September 14, 2013 |
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe MP
I got an opportunity to watch an interview of Dr. Rohan Gunaratne, an expert on international terrorism, telecast over Sri Lanka Rupavahini on 8th September 2013. I have seen him before when he disseminated his experiences and views. Strategical studies on conflict resolutions, especially on war ridden countries as well as regions have triggered this subject to be important subject in the world. This is now being taught as a subject in certain universities too. After a one and half score prolonged brutal terrorism, our nation expected a speedy healing process to soothen, not only the physical human bodies but also the minds of our people. Although our constitution does not give a definition for a nation, we are civilized enough to understand it as all the people living in the country without any difference based on race, creed, language, religion, sex etc.
Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka have a long history of habitation on this soil. Muslims migrated here as professional traders and live for generations. Our history is absolutely clear about harmonized lifestyle of Sri Lankans with an ameliorated cultural values and norms. The fact that the colonial rulers adopted various ruses to disintegrate the ethnic unity among our people was not a matter of surprise as that type of conduct was an integral part of imperialism in every part of the world. But the sad part of it is the fact that even after passing a substantial period and after snatching the link between British Emperor and us, still we are in the same pit-fall as was during the period of colony.
Even after independence, those who were on the saddle of political power could not drive the nation towards unity within diversity, which is the idealistic goal to achieve in any democracy, if it is expected to prosper as a nation.
No doubt that we shudder to think about the ordeal of horrendous and gruesome war that prevailed over here. There are enough post-mortems that have been held including United Nations’ Expert Panel Report(Darusman’s One) in the international level and Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee Report (LLRC) in the local level. There are certain strategic plans proposed by the government as well as recommendations and requests by international agencies. We also know that Tamil Diaspora also playing a vibrant role in between.
