So, what now?

WE ARE MUCH SMARTER THAN THE POLITICIANS THINK WE ARE. WE ARE FAR MORE DISCIPLINED NOW THAN W WERE IN THE EIGHTIES. DIYAWANNA MAY LACK IN THAT AREA BUT WE, THE VOTER, WE’VE GROWN THROUGH THE THIRTY SOMETHING YEARS OF TURMOIL AND WE MANAGED OUR LIVES

One and a half months have gone by and the tragedy is quietly moving to the back seats of memories of those who were not directly affected by it. For those who lost a family, a loved one or maimed for life, the memory will be etched forever in their minds, through their life time. Unless a great deal of support and where necessary therapy and counselling is done, I cannot imagine, how coping will take place.

We are a nation that lived through over thirty years of war. The difference I see is, then, we knew our enemy. Fighting a force that is identified, in my humble opinion is far easier than fighting an ideological enemy that has taken root in the hearts and minds of a set of people, who we call extremists. Who can know the hearts and mind but God Almighty?

As an ordinary member of the general populace of Sri Lanka, I do have an opinion, which I am not shy to express.

Carnage was created by a small segment of an ethnic group that had gone south of the border, with their ideology. We heard the larger populace of that ethnic group condemning the heinous act in one accord and with one voice. Right thinking members of the larger ethnic group in Sri Lanka should continue to think right, and set that demarcation right, between the extremists and the general populace of that ethnic group. The entire Muslim community should not be categorised as extremists, just because a few of them turned turtle in their beliefs. The community, however, has a responsibility on their hands and heads to ensure that when we set that demarcation of innocence, that the innocent Muslims do stay innocent and helpful, through the process now taking place. To the extent our Muslim brothers and sisters stay authentic in their intentions towards peace and routing out extremism, together we will flourish. We are not against you but against an extremist ideology that will first, impact and adversely affect you, dear Muslim brothers and sisters.

Then, I would like to place before the reader the various verbose barrage that seems to ooze out of some nit-witted politicians. As the same right thinking larger ethnic group, it will be well with all our souls if the Sinhala Buddhist majority cast away such ill-timed comments and do not digress from the issue at hand. Namely, fighting a common enemy called extremism. We are much smarter than the politicians think we are. We are far more disciplined now than we were in the eighties. Diyawanna may lack in that area but we, the voter – whether it is Sinhala Buddhist, Sinhala Christian or Sinhala Muslim or Tamil Catholic, Hindu, Malay or Burgher, we’ve grown through the thirty something years of turmoil and we managed our lives. Didn’t we? So, let the ill-timed, ill-worded political comments go where they belong where all ‘kunu’is supposed to go. Lets’ stay firmly rooted in peace among ourselves, whatever religion or ethnicity we belong to, and fight this common enemy – let me repeat religious extremism.

I am a Sinhala Christian by conviction. I have many Sinhala Buddhist friends that sometimes put me to

shame, with their decorum, patience and quiet support in any situation. My good friend Sathy, is a clear example of this kind of Sinhala Buddhist. I would respectfully place before the Sinhala Buddhist majority, that we too, are Sri Lankans. We too, belong in this country and Sri Lanka IS our MOTHERLAND too. So when your religious leaders go on a verbose rampage, please ask them to ensure that it is against this common enemy called extremism and not against the rest of us, who love peace and quiet living in our motherland. We have no quarrel with you. Don’t let any politician take you down the wrong path of religious animosity either.

Finally, I’d like to salute our Triforces and the police. They restored a semblance of normalcy but they will also know that much more needs to be done, to ensure the enemy is fully routed out. Reiterating my confidence in them to do their job on Sri Lankan soil, I trust God, for an ultimate solution of a lasting peace that He alone can bring. After all, the enemy we fight now is primarily in the hearts and minds of a set of people. Who can deal with the working of the inner-man but God?

Stay open minded, stay vigilant and stay responsible.