Renewed hope in the New Year

The New Year is almost upon us. There will be a myriad of New Year greetings with inspiring verses as the 2013 New Year dawns at midnight tomorrow. But could those wishes be made a reality?

It has been customary, over the years, to extend New Year greetings. However, the time has now come for us to ponder whether these greetings are confined to mere words. In the New Year, people across the globe would wish one another happiness, peace and prosperity.

We could make this wish a reality by living in peace and amity with one another and respecting each other's beliefs, customs and traditions.

As another year draws to a close, it's time to take stock of our achievements and failures during 2012 and face life's challenges in 2013. As usual, people approach the dawn of a New Year with renewed hope, expectations and set goals for a better tomorrow.

Unfulfilled expectations and aspirations impel some of us to dispel such yearnings with a certain degree of scepticism. Sri Lankans prayed for peace until 2009. This had been their fervent wish and hope in every New Year thought and greeting.

With the dawn of peace in May 2009, thanks to the supreme sacrifices of the Security Forces and President Mahinda Rajapaksa's perspicacity, the wish that had been made for over two decades is no more. National reconciliation and economic prosperity have taken centre stage with the end of terrorism.

Let us, therefore, renew this pledge in the New Year and act with resolve and determination to realise this hope so that we could give a better meaning to the hard-earned peace. In doing so, we may face stiff challenges and simultaneously make huge sacrifices to achieve economic prosperity under one banner.

It was only a little over seven years ago when President Rajapaksa was entrusted with the gigantic task to take Sri Lanka forward. At the time when he was first elected President on November 17, 2005, most people were firmly convinced that he was the only leader who could usher in peace.

In the first three-and-a-half years in office, he accomplished that magnificent task, thus fulfilling the expectations of all Sri Lankans. The path to peace was certainly no easy task. Perhaps, peace at any cost would not have been that difficult. This is precisely why the Tiger cohorts and a section of the Tamil Diaspora are still attempting to take Sri Lanka to task, as they thrive on terrorism.

Achieving national reconciliation and marching towards economic prosperity as one nation could be a more arduous task. Nevertheless, it could be achieved if all of us stand united and do our part.

Everybody has the requisite strength and courage to fulfil this aim and promote harmony and unity and live as one family and one nation in the coming years.

As we usher in the New Year with our associates and loved ones, we should pause for a while to spare a thought for the thousands of Security Forces personnel who are on duty round the clock to protect the hard-earned peace. The guardian angels of our nation are not as fortunate as us to frolic in the New Year with their loved ones.

What is more - they spend sleepless nights in camps, keeping a vigilant eye and lending a helping hand to scores of Northern civilians who are now rebuilding their lives which had been adversely affected due to LTTE terror. Irrespective of religious and ethnic affiliations, the Security Forces have made a praiseworthy effort in promoting national reconciliation by helping the Tamils in the North and the East to begin a new lease of life.

Hence, our New Year thoughts should be focused on those brave soldiers. After all, it was due to their courage, dedication and sacrifice that we enjoy this unbridled freedom today. These true heroes would continue to protect us in the new year too.

Terrorism which destroyed community life and jeopardised the economy over the past three decades is now a thing of the past. It is appropriate, therefore, that we remember the brave sons of our soil who sacrificed their lives to protect the territorial integrity of our motherland and usher in lasting peace.

Having set new world standards in eradicating terrorism and resettling displaced persons, the hope and wish of Sri Lankans is that their counterparts in countries affected by terrorism too would soon breathe some fresh air and enjoy the same freedom as us.

Terrorism, no doubt, plagues the whole world. Some countries which fostered terrorism are now having second thoughts. Hence, the foremost wish of people the world over is to wipe out the scourge of terrorism and foster lasting peace that would enable all nations to live in peace and harmony.

The international community living in an era of globalisation yearns to dispel war and promote peace and harmony. For this, there should be a spirit of camaraderie. Therefore, it is the bounden duty and responsibility of world leaders to create a just society where people can live sans fear and suspicion.

Sri Lankans enter a crucial phase in nation-building. It is our earnest hope that the international community would view Sri Lanka's developments positively. They should desist from trying to level war crime charges against Sri Lanka as this would support terrorism indirectly. If the international community is keen on the well-being of those in the North and the East, they should support the Government in its development drive in those areas. The Australian Government's move to work closely with Sri Lanka to check the inflow of illegal migrants, mostly Tamils, is commendable, to say the least. The migrants' attempt to project a gloomy picture in seeking political asylum has been foiled and the Australian Government has quite rightly identified them as economic migrants and are sending them back.

The year 2013 will be a significant milestone for Sri Lanka as Colombo will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Despite Canada's stance to skip the Colombo summit, Australia has set a good example - its Foreign Minister recently announced in Colombo that Australia would extend both political and technical support for the 2013 CHOGM.

The observations by Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr are indeed food for thought for those countries which continue to point an accusing finger on the human rights of terrorists killed during their battle against Sri Lanka's legitimate army. As Carr had quite rightly said, the international community must work closely with Sri Lanka. On his recent tour to Sri Lanka, Minister Carr said that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) is the "best instrument" to address human rights' issues. Hence, those leaders who had supported the US-led Resolution against Sri Lanka must visit the country and get first-hand experience on the manner in which Sri Lanka treats Tamils who had been liberated from the jaws of LTTE terror.

Sri Lanka, will, no doubt take a giant leap forward in 2013 towards its goal of becoming the Wonder of Asia. INGOs with vested interests would not have a ghost of a chance to harm Sri Lanka's sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, those local and foreign elements which day-dream of a regime change in Sri Lanka will have to bide their time for many moons as the masses would continue to repose implicit faith in President Rajapaksa and the UPFA Government.

People from all walks of life can look forward to the New Year with great expectations. The Government has a big responsibility to satisfy their aspirations and build a country on the correct economic path.