A momentous occasion

Sri Lanka celebrates its 60th Year of Independence today. It is indeed a momentous milestone in the forward march of the country.

When Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, obtained independence in 1948, it had been under foreign domination for nearly 400 years, out of which British rule prevailed for 150 years. Many outstanding personalities were engaged in Sri Lanka’s freedom struggle.

A combination of factors including the increasingly vociferous freedom movement and geopolitical realities resulted in Lanka obtaining independence in 1948.

However, it was not until 1972 that Sri Lanka abandoned its dominion status to become a Republic with a new Constitution.

After 150 years of British rule, one cannot expect their legacy to disappear. Their most important legacy is the English language, which is often described as a ‘link’ language that unites all communities in the island.

Cricket is another major phenomenon we have inherited from the British and our teams often beat the Englishmen at their own game. The tea plantations left by the British continue to thrive and earn a substantial amount of foreign exchange.

The railway and road network built by the British link all parts of the country. The educational, legal and administrative structures handed down by the British continue with some adjustments.

In 1948, Sri Lanka was one of the most advanced and developed countries in Asia. With the possible exception of war-battered but fast rising Japan, many other Asian countries which are now on the threshold of achieving ‘developed country’ status were nowhere near Sri Lanka.

But Sri Lanka could not tread on that enlightened path mainly because divisive politics and shortsighted, opportunistic policies were given priority over the national interest. Constant political bickering meant that development was more or less put on the backburner. What one Government did, the next one undid.

Perhaps the most colossal failure of post-independence Sri Lanka was its inability, by design or default, to address the genuine grievances of the minorities. Every time leaders tried to enter into an arrangement which addressed such concerns, extremists on both sides of the divide sabotaged them.

Today, the problem has assumed gargantuan proportions, with the Nation having to confront the scourge of terrorism and conflict.

The country is at a decisive juncture today. The Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is determined to crush terrorism from the land. With the complete liberation of the Eastern Province, the Tigers are now confined only to Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu and the Security Forces are knocking at the gates.

In sheer desperation, the Tigers have reverted to the horrendous practice of attacking civilian targets - Saturday’s bus bomb in Dambulla and yesterday’s Fort Station blast are examples.

While facing such ruthless terror, the Government is equally determined to evolve a political solution to meet the aspirations of the Tamil community.

The first step in this direction has already been taken with the presentation of the All party Representatives Committee (APRC) report, which outlines the steps necessary for a lasting solution. It is our fervent hope that these initiatives succeed for the dawn of peace this year.

There are critics who say that successive Sri Lankan Governments have done virtually nothing to develop the country. Such a viewpoint is obviously wrong, though the pace of development could have been faster. The hesitation to implement projects when they were first mooted has cost us dearly.

For instance, if the Norochcholai power plant was built when the proposal was first presented, we would not be facing a power crisis today. The present Government has taken concrete action on several such projects, much to the relief of the populace.

Sri Lanka has achieved notable progress especially in health and education spheres. Our health and education indices are envied even by some developed countries. Successive Governments have continued and nurtured free education and health.

This is no mean achievement for a developing country, as providing free health and education facilities to 19 million people costs billions of rupees annually. Among other sectors where we have achieved rapid progress are telecommunications, banking and ports and aviation.

There are many other sectors which need to be improved further. The road and transport network is still struggling to be on par with those of emerging Asian countries.

The agriculture sector needs modernisation to achieve optimum harvests and reduce post-harvest losses. Sri Lanka still imports a vast quantity of seafood products despite having a maritime area much larger than the land mass.

There are many rays of hope as well. The much-awaited exploration of oil could truly propel Sri Lanka to a different league in the community of nations.

Despite a multitude of challenges, Sri Lanka has steadfastly held on to its democratic traditions and this is not likely to change. The elimination of terrorism and the restoration of peace will make democracy and freedom even more meaningful.