 “Don’t worry, he is safe in our hands” seem to be the words on the
soldier’s lips as he lovingly takes a baby into his hands from a father
who had just arrived from the No Fire Zone, where Tigers had been
indiscriminately firing at civilians who dared to flee towards freedom.
The babies and their mothers and fathers were indeed lucky to have
escaped LTTE tyranny and arrive in the cleared areas.
These scenes, as depicted in our cover picture, have been repeated
throughout the ‘biggest hostage rescue operation in the world’ conducted
by the Armed Forces. They have won plaudits for their professionalism
and commitment to ensure the welfare of civilians. Their spontaneous
crossing over to Government lines once the Tiger defenses were breached
exposed the LTTE fabrication that the civilians were staying with them
on their own accord.
Now the challenge is to ensure a bright future for these infants and
all civilians who had embraced freedom. The Security Forces and the
Government are rising to this challenge with a comprehensive
resettlement program. The infant in the soldier’s hands does not know it
yet, but he will inherit a Lanka that is free of terror, a Lanka where
all communities will co-exist in amity and a Lanka that knows no
divisions. |
