From Triumphalism...
The Rajapaksas along with Generals Fonseka, Karannagoda, Goonetillake have vanquished the enemy of our nation, the LTTE terrorists and now everyone must show their compassion to the Tamil bretheren who made bigger sacrifices than the Sinhala people in the long and dreadful nightmare of brutality.
NELSON MANDELA FACTOR: WHERE RAJAPAKSAS ERRED
“If you want peace with your enemy, you have to work together with your enemy. Then he will become a partner of your efforts.”– Nelson Mandela [in his autobiography].
The African National Congress was forced to a guerrilla war with white-dominated South African government by young rebellion Mandela, when it failed to achieve any fruitful negotiations with them. He was jailed for life. However, the process of negotiations commenced on his return after 26 years, and by the matured man’s insight and rational, farsighted visionary saw an end to apartheid under a new constitution that guaranteed freedom, justice and equal rights to all communities, irrespective of the colour of the skin - whether Black or White. It adopted a clause on the National Anthem, emphasizing on a solitary song sung in four languages! If Mahinda Rajapaksa had the flexibility in his thinking in the post-war period to guarantee the Northern people of their rights and constitutional safeguards: if he had the wisdom to draw inspiration from Mandela’s brilliant foresight and sagacity, instead of engaging in a continuous war-mongering arrogance against minorities by foolishly encouraging the extremist groups and saffron-clad ‘Buddhist’ monks to utter hatred speeches publicly, he could have achieved the status of an exceptional War Hero and Statesman. Unfortunately, he does not seem to have learnt even after the defeat; he continues with arousing communal emotions and feelings supported by a few in a desperate fresh attempt to achieve his ambitions.
For an exclusive ‘National Commemoration Day’ parade by armed forces; display of air power should come to a halt with the seventh anniversary in May 2016; instead a national day of mourning in memory of all victims of military men, civilians, mis-guided youth in the North, South, East and West, from April 1971 to May 2009; should be held under the patronage of the Head of State with the participation of all party leaders and assembled at a single venue for a multi-religious activity. Banning all other politically motivated ‘Heroes Days’ held in various parts of the island would add more vigour and vitality to the proposal. Why not select Jaffna, as the next year’s venue for National Commemoration Day?