Let roses bloom this Independence Day

by Prasad Gunewardene

Today, we commemorate our fifty ninth independence. We are a proud nation that fought many a battle to gain independence. Looking back at our history, it makes us certain that all leaders in the past struggled to make this island nation, an independent state.

As Ceylonese then, we fought all those battles and engaged in all struggles as a nation with one people. There were no racial differences seen in those struggles. We all joined and fought as one. Let us not lament over what happened between us after achieving independence.

There are causes and reasons for such conflicts. But, today we are all Sri Lankans after the Republican Constitution came into being in 1972. We now got to move forward from this day, if we are to be one people and one nation.

Examining, re-examining or shedding tears over what has happened shall never bring resolutions for the better. January is a month that makes the daffodils bloom. Yes .... the daffodils bloomed quite merrily. This land once divided by politics, witnessed a turn for the better. It was never a culmination of decades of political surprises nor controversies.

It was the will of the incumbent Head of State, President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The President, though in office for just over one year has displayed that he is a man who never succumbs to delay.

He signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. But, the MOU never functioned effectively for reasons better known to Wickremesinghe. MOUs are documents that should never be kept inactive as they become dormant. Such documents should he handled with trust and confidence.

President Rajapaksa proved to the UNP that he would not delay national issues that were before him. The UNP group that joined the Government realised the pragmatic and practical leadership of the President.

We have, today after fifty nine years, an administration that looks national in nature. Except for a few political parties, many have joined the current administration in the national interest. Rajapaksa could well be Sri Lanka's Charles de Gaulle seeking to unite this politically fragmented country to rebuild trust in the institutions.

With regard to the territorial integrity and sovereignty, he is on record saying that he would protect this nation from even living inside a bunker. There's no doubt, that Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa is an able and tough character of that calibre.

Politics in this country have played enough and more with no positive results for the nation and people. After fifty nine years, more than two thirds of political parties have united under one banner. That is the criteria essential to build a healthy nation.

President Rajapaksa is not a personality that needs to be popular over his actions. He came from the common society and has been popular from the day he entered politics.

He has already won accolades from every quarter for the manner he tackles the situation in the North and East. For the people, he represents sovereignty and dignity of this nation. Very few leaders in this globe achieve such status among the people. Even his strongest or staunchest critic hail him for his high degree of patriotism.

The country has bled enough since independence. It should not be allowed to bleed anymore. Be it, friend or foe, it is the people of this country who have bled. And some to death.

We cannot depend much on the international community as they have done very little in the past towards reconciliation. We, as a nation, must unite to understand each other in brotherhood. Leaders of this nation alone cannot do it.

Therefore, it is the duty of all responsible politicians of this country to put the country before themselves. They should not act in a manner that would further divide the people.

Like the daffodils that bloomed in January, let us pray that roses will bloom this February for the future prosperity of this beautiful island nation known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.

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