Independence Day celebrations and hopes for the future

You must be knowing by now that this feline, though nursing streaks of cattiness in her nature, is a softie at heart and optimistic, bordering on naïvety. She sees the glass always half or more full; she places trust in humanity and even has faith in politicians, of course of those she considers sincere and that means a fair number in the present firmament.

She’s bold enough to say she places faith and trust to do good by the country on the President, the Prime Minister and such as Lakshman Kirielle, Champika Ranawaka, Thalata Atukorale, Harsha de Silva, Sujeewa Serasinghe and Rajitha Senaratne.

Watching the parade on TV

Thus is it any surprise she glues herself to the Box on Independence Day and watches the celebrations from beginning to end. She does not get bored with all the marching; instead she is inspired and admiring.

She stands when the national anthem is sung and cries when the bevy of students sing Jayamangala Gatha. She remembers highlights of years past. JRJ would place a bowl of roses at the foot of DS’s statue in Independence Square; and we would look forward to seeing the fashion picture First Lady Hema Premadasa presented as she stepped out of the heavily escorted limo in which she and Prez Premadasa travelled.

Kumari also recalls with a chuckle how things went quite haywire when Prince Charles graced the occasion with Chandrika B. Kumaratunga as President. She looked stately enough and could hold her own with the heir to the British throne. But the Prince is supposed to have left early – abdicated sort of, fled from the celebration grounds – supposedly alarmed at being seated next to the PM who did not even look at him, leave along exchange pleasantries.

Then the Defence Secretary came limping in leaning heavily on a walking stick and the IGP, standing behind the Prez, fainting and crashing down for all to hear, if not see. Thus was it joked that the Prince fled the scene in terror in the company he was in. The Prince did leave before the parade was over as he had planned to visit the Yala Reserve, it was said. The fainting of the Head of the Police was bad enough but his excuse, inexcusable: his shoes were pinching his toes!

The then Prime Minister was Sirimavo Bandaranaike (bless her) and she was after a stroke, it was rumoured, that incapacitated her somewhat. The Defence VIP who had a leg impediment that necessitated a walking stick was Anurudha Ratwatte.

When the then President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressed the nation in 2010, Menika puffed herself with vicarious pride. Here was the Prez saying there were no minority and majority races in Sri Lanka, only the loyal and the disloyal.

Her balloon of joy and hope and admiration that here was a leader who saw all as Sri Lankans and not their racial hereditary, was rudely punctured by a writer of an article to a Sunday newspaper who wrote that the President’s pronouncement was ominous.

It meant that all were equal if they were loyal to the President and very unequal and traitorous if they were not approving of him. She wanted to judge the writer as negative and seeing wolves where there were none, or smoke sans a fire, but soon enough his prophecy came true.

People critical of the Prez found themselves in white vans or chased in broad daylight by armed persons who brutally assassinated them. Those who were loyal were in clover and those who extended loyalty to sycophancy were heavily rewarded.

Independence Day 2016

This year austerity was rather stretched with a huge parade at the Galle Face Green. Never mind, this cat purred. There must be a show on February 4. A major theme or point emphasized, (it being honey in Menika’s liberal ear), was that we are all Sri Lankans first and foremost and then we could acknowledge being Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Moor, Burgher.

The President gave words to this very important thought while also saying that the human rights matter presented by Geneva would be dealt with, with no slight or harm done to the integrity of the country nor the people and the armed forces.

He spoke loud and clear about people hungry for immediate power spreading rumours that the country or its people would be sold down the line.Racial amity was further demonstrated by a group of girls and boys, dressed in Kandyan half saris and shirts and sarongs, some in saris draped Indian style with jasmines cascading down their hair and some boys sporting close fitting white caps singing the National Anthem in Tamil. That really was something.

It sent a strong comforting message to the likes of this feline who grew up when being of a different race meant nothing. The innovative singing of the National Anthem, a second time subtly ingrained a good thought in young minds – that we are all Sri Lankans.

It dealt, we hope, the death blow to the utterly nonsensical notion of Sinha le flowing in some persons’ arteries and veins. As the President pronounced on earlier occasions, we all have red blood.

Already there are protests and arguments against the National Anthem being sung in Tamil. Such protestors are those who protest about everything and anything and must not be taken note of. Bravo to the brave and sensible President and Prime Minister who would have wanted this singing introduced this year

We sang along with a small group of girls from four prominent schools in Colombo the Jayamangala Gatha, bestowing blessings on him who stood firm and determined, yet slight in frame on the podium. He identified himself as the affectionate friend of all Sri Lankans, servant to all, leader of the armed forces and President of the country.

The girls then chanted the stanza that says that when leaders are benevolent, rains come at the opportune time and harvests are plentiful. Of course this ancient stanza was coined and chanted long before global warming and El Nino.

Notwithstanding these natural hazards, we move forward with hope. We do have two strong leaders at the top, one who is blamed for being more concerned about his party than the country and the other who ranted against the media. This cat approved of the latter; the media need a ticking off once in a while or they ride rough shod like wild asses.So let’s celebrate the clear and welcome message that came on February 4: We are all Sri Lankans and expected to be loyal to the country, respecting each others’ rights.

- Menika