The `Big Picture'

by Ashley WEERSOORIYA

Yes, now we are able to see "The Big Picture." It is getting clearer and clearer although decadeas ago, under different governments it wasn't clear just why we are waiting for so long that life slipped by, finding us still waiting for the "The Big Picture". Something that has been going on all the time P-E-A-C-E.

But time passed, distance narrowed.

People grew closer and closer to achievers.

The hour is a priceless one in which we are facing the truth. Now we are able to choose P-E-A-C-E only. Because weaker governments in the past could not talk to the LTTE on the basis of "Peace only". Only a strong and formidable government could talk "Peace only".

In the past we were not free from choosing because we were not free from the consequences that came from choosing.

Now not only we can choose but, by choosing we are free from the operation of law of the terrorists.

There are lot of people in our country who constantly criticise without seeing the good side who couldn't be happy to see the " The Big Picture" which is already in the horizon.

This is "The Big Picture" that every Prime Minister or President wanted the show his or her people but failed until NOW.

Unfortunately those people who climb on to the stages and shout slogans pretending not to see it saying they cannot see it are simply unwilling to be responsible. They learn a little or involve themselves to hatch a conspiracy in order to take away the movements' glory by diverting attention. It was up to our valiant leadership of the Armed Forces to accomplish this exceedingly great historical victory for our motherland.

Now the same people who failed in the past say they know better and they could do better and know all the answers and the end result.

Like Prabhakaran, he thought he knew all the answers and the end result! He too had an insatiable demand for more, he was trying to reach the impossible and in the end complicated his problems.

Political life

He has cluttered up his actions and political life with things that are sure to damage the life line of the Tamil People, distress their spirit and caused a complex of personal and national problems.

We can also, better understand and appreciate a real character by his public behaviour.

No one is knowledgeable enough or experienced enough to think of everything at once, to see all the meanings or be aware of all the hazards or see all sides of a subject, especially during a period such as we are going through now. Yet those people who make noise and slogans implicating government complicity with violence and anti-social behaviour and disorder timed to perfection. These are people who suffer from haste.

Some things are good for man, some things are bad for man, and this is true morally and spiritually and yet with all the experience in the past failures recorded against a bunch of people's past performances one can distinguish between two disasters, one is "ceasefire agreement" and secondly numerous defeats the Opposition suffered at the elections. People of this country clearly had given mandate to the incumbent government to wipe out the spectre of terrorism. That's what exactly we expected and that is what we got.

We are now better off to "deal the devil, we know than the devil we don't know" because of the past experience we had with some of these smart politicians. Now that all the hard work is done, these people are getting involved with irrelevant activities, creating violence and havoc at the precise time.

Terrorism in the biggest single challenge which prevents development. Once this is over and done with we could see not very far off what this powerful government could do to develop and prosper our country.

It would be fair to say that during a peaceful period that we expect in the future this government may harness the services of the mighty Armed Forces and direct their resourceful strength to develop our country. They are a capable patriots who could build a simple bridge across a waterway urgently needed in a remote some isolated place in the country as well as massive building or construction projects. Their participation in future development plans of our country will be a great asset to all concerned.

We owe a long lasting debt to our Armed Forces. From the top to the lowest in the rankings. their names are etched in golden letters in our history. We are indeed indebted to every soldier who sacrificed his or her life in the name of our motherland, not forgetting all those who are languishing in hospitals throughout the country.

We need to give credit to where it deserves. We already feel free, fully knowing Mother Lanka had just crossed an important milestone in its long history and that historical event, (which the previous Prime Ministers and Presidents could not reach) could not have been achieved without a courageous leader and an able Defence Secretary.

Truthful

We all in Sri Lanka and overseas saw and heard what he informed us about the past and present situation of the country. It was all informative and truthful and furthermore he added that the present course of military action would not be jeopardized at any cost. Hence, the continued operation of the great march, towards victory and prosperity.

Now every citizen should embrace the law of health, law of happiness and law of peace upon which we start a new life irrespective how old or young we are, work harder, longer hours so that future generations would emulate our principles with the same dedication like how we did towards our motherland.

People in the highest or lowest are in difficulties if others are not working with them. The attitudes of the peoples are important.

Whoever it is whether the judiciary or the executive are accountable both to other people, and to a higher power.

As all of us are.

So, someone has to take the responsibility, someone has to make decisions, not only for today, but for the future generations, someone brave enough to carry the weight and worries of our nations, someone has to be there who has to see that there is continuation from here onwards, building a better Sri Lanka, someone to face facts because every honour or office, every privilege or right carries with it real responsibility.

It takes courage to carry responsibility. It takes courage to make right decision. The decision which will make or break Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's constitutional validity rests upon the powers given to the executive and NOT Prabhakaran or anyone else. There was never any doubt that under the powers the Parliament that represent the majority can determine what is required to constitute a valid law of the country.

We want to tell the whole world perhaps on the 04th February, 2009 that we are about to begin to live in P-E-A-C-E as we Sri Lankans understand that this is life, this is our time, our day, our generation and our country.