The day SL heaved a collective sigh of relief

Today, it is two years since Sri Lanka's indefatigable Security Forces scored their historic victory over the terroristic LTTE in the wilds of the North. With the gun smoke gradually settling on the conflict-ridden region and the outcome of the Security Forces' campaign revealing itself with crystal clarity, Sri Lanka could assure itself that peace was finally at hand. Accordingly, a huge sigh of relief escaped the lips of the majority of Sri Lankans - North, South, East and West. It was a memorable day for all,
For the so-called man and woman of the street, what this momentous victory translates itself into is supreme freedom to lead a normal life. For nearly 30 long years, wherever he or she was, this freedom could not have been availed of by the average Sri Lankan. Their days were full of uncertainty, fear, pain and suffering. We need hardly recall in all its gruesome detail, the murderous violence unleashed on all, irrespective of race, religion and language, by the LTTE over those 30 long years. Suffice it to say that no one could say with any degree of certainty that he or she would live to see another day as long as the LTTE was free to lurk menacingly, mark its sinister presence in the midst of civilized humans and unrelentingly visit terror on the unsuspecting.
However, with the meticulous crushing of the LTTE war machine by the Security Forces two years ago, the people all over Sri Lanka have begun to breathe the wholesome air of freedom once again and this is the most priceless positive outcome of the state's long drawn endeavour to bring the LTTE to heel. For this, the ordinary people of this country are overwhelmingly grateful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who provided the necessary political leadership, our Security Forces and the Police.
The fact that the UPFA, under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been continuously winning handsomely at the hustings, particularly since May 2009, is solid proof that the people are reposing their trust now exclusively in the President and in the UPFA. The degree of personal trust bestowed on the President by the people was evidenced very clearly when Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected resoundingly to the presidency for a second term. This winning streak is bound to continue on account of the relief the people have been experiencing since those historic events of May 2009.
The most significant task before the government now is to translate this exhilarating freedom into development and equitable material advancement. There could be no room for complacency on this score. The state has done well to rid the country of the LTTE scourge but it could not entertain the misleading perception that it could now rest on its laurels. It has to translate the freedom it has achieved for the people into concrete progress and this it would need to do expeditiously.
The state is doing right by making its presence felt all over the country in an effort to fast track the development drive but it needs to ensure that concrete material advancement seeps down to the 'smallest man, woman and child' of our country. If it could do this on an equitable basis, regardless of ethnicity, language and region, the goal of development could be said to have been achieved. Equally important is the achievement of a permanent political solution to the conflict.
As pointed out before, the UPFA, which includes in its fold a number political parties representing almost the totality of our communities, is best placed to work out this solution in collaboration with the Tamil political parties and other sections of Tamil opinion. The state is already engaged in a dialogue process of this kind but we hope these talks will be more result-oriented.
The state is doing well to highlight the fruits of the humanitarian operation of post-conflict times but it could neutralize resoundingly the criticism being leveled against it in some quarters by making concrete progress in bringing about a political solution. There is also an urgent need to put the past completely behind and get down to the enterprise of establishing Sri Lanka on new foundations which would enable all sections of our people to identify with the state with no reservations.
For instance, the state is obliged to ensure that communalism and other divisive political forces are not given an opportunity to raise their ugly heads. The message should be sent out that Sri Lanka is a multiethnic and plural society where narrow parochial sentiments would not be in a position to thrive. Under President Mahinda Rajapaksa, these forces are being shown the door but we hope the necessary laws and institutions would be set up to see a final end to these divisive but destructive forces which up to May 2009 were enjoying a presence in some quarters, although the state was shunning them.
It should be plain to see that the ideology of racism, for instance, should be completely outlawed in this new Sri Lanka which the state is endeavouring to create. Racism and such like divisive political forces are vestiges of our painful past which we must neutralize without further delay.