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Sri Lanka: Forgetting to RememberPosted: 06/18/2013 11:41 amIn the light of triumph the mistakes of the past are often thrown in to the shadows to be

forgotten. For Sri Lanka this bodes true, as the government continues to bathe in the

"glory" of its defeat of the LTTE back in 2009.

Four years have passed since Sri Lanka's brutal and bloody civil war came to an

aggressive end. At the time many rejoiced with the news, and expectations that after 26

years the country could reconcile. It now appears as though reconciliation is playing

second fiddle to the growing political intrigue on all sides.

As pressure from both the international community and the civil society in Sri Lanka

grows on the government, members of the ruling coalition continue their attempts at

winning back support and suppressing opposition. Unfortunately, these political tactics

have encroached on the rebuilding process of the country, leaving many questioning the

politicians and their commitment to reconciliation.

On May 18 this yearSri Lanka celebrated its "Victory Day,"which marked the

anniversary of the end of the 26 year conflict with the LTTE. While this day, to many,

would seem the perfect opportunity to remember all those who died in the civil war, the

government used this as the stage to pay tribute to the armed forces and demonstrate

their "military might."

A military parade along Colombo's iconic Galle Road marked this occasion, before aquieter and more sombre vigil was held at a war memorial erected opposite the

Parliament. While remembering the sacrifices made by those in the armed forces during

the conflict is necessary, it has now come at the expense of reconciliation.

Colombo's iconic Galle Road played host to Sri Lanka's armed forces

The conflict not only exacted a heavy toll on the tri-forces, it also cost countless civilianlives all over the country. The near three-decade civil war saw Sinhalese, Tamils,

http://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/5165-sri-lanka-celebrates-fourth-victory-day-on-18th-mayhttp://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/5165-sri-lanka-celebrates-fourth-victory-day-on-18th-mayhttp://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/5165-sri-lanka-celebrates-fourth-victory-day-on-18th-mayhttp://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/5165-sri-lanka-celebrates-fourth-victory-day-on-18th-may

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Muslims and Burghers from all over the island lose their lives in the fighting. Sadly,

there was little or no effort made by the regime to remember the thousands of civilians

who died. In fact the very name "Victory Day" has drawn heavy criticism, with many

calling on the government to rename it something more in line with the theme of

remembrance.The regime has instead used this platform to reignite their support amongst the armed

forces by celebrating their contribution to the country. Furthermore, in a show of

strength, the government was able to remind those they feared would oppose them that

they had a military strength of 400,000 behind them.

Soldiers on display during the Victory Day parade

Away from the parades and demonstrations of support, the government continues to

battle with minority parties over the much-debated devolution of power. In this regard,it appears that all parties involved have reached a stalemate, with neither side willing to

compromise. The highly controversial 13th Amendment to the constitution, which in

theory would see a greater devolution of power to the minority run regions of the

country, is facing thepotential alterationsthat will see it highly ineffectual.

Once more the government is tipped to use its majority in Parliament to pass through a

bill that would appease the nationalists while failing to take in to account the desires of

the minorities. It was, in fact, the lack of representation that contributed initially to Sri

Lanka's civil war. An amendment that now threatens to marginalize the voices of the

minorities will only serve to further widen the cracks that already exist in this society.

The government, who holds a clear 2/3rds majority in Parliament, should look to take

the lead in the reconciliation process. Instead the country is now faced with growing

nationalism, targeting Muslim minority groups, and political turmoil that is

overshadowing the reconciliation process.

The rise of the Bodu Bala Sena, a Buddhist nationalist group dedicated to exerting

thedominance of the Sinhala Buddhist majorityover the populace, has placed the

spotlight on the government who is supposedly dedicated to rebuilding the nation.

However, they have instead chosen to turn a blind eye to the growing racial sentiment,choosing instead to punish those who voice opposition to such groups.

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While the government appears uninterested in tackling such issues, the main opposition

parties in the country have also failed to effectively tackle the plight facing the

minorities. The main political voice for the Tamil people, the Tamil National Alliance

(TNA), has chosen tobattle the government on foreign soilhoping to increase the

international pressure. This move has resulted in the government successfully isolatingthem, accusing them of relying on foreign intervention. Unfortunately, the TNA have

failed to gather support outside of the Tamil voter base. This has left them open to

accusations from supporters of reconciliation that they too are engrossed in the political

battles, forgetting the real issues faced by the populace.

As Sri Lanka struggles to overcome the scars left behind by the civil war, the politicians

are failing to tackle the issues that continue to threaten the hard-earned peace. The

political intrigue and the apparent disinterest have left the country facing the very real

prospect of slipping back in to a society divided on ethnic lines.

Follow Dinouk Colombage on Twitter:www.twitter.com/dinoukc

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