Henry Jayaweera

The Editor.

All democratic, peace-loving, patriotic Sri Lankans, in and outside Sri Lanka, as well as all honest, sincere, peace loving people of the world will be on Galle Face Green tomorrow to celebrate and rejoice the victory of the Sri Lankan nation against a ruthless terrorism that held the country in thrall these last three decades.
The celebration will serve many purposes. First, it will be an opportunity for the Sri Lankan nation to pay deserved tribute to the leader of a millenium or more, who had the courage and the foresight to take on the so-called invincibility of a bunch of goons which had hitherto terrorized the poor innocent people of Sri Lanka, and some of her tails-between-their -legs leaders, a one of a kind leader who stood for the peace and unity of the people who had elected him against the might of many in the East and West who strove, until the final demise of the arch-devil himself, to turn might into right and save the villain from the inevitable, ignoble end he faced.
Secondly, it is a tribute to the valiant armed forces (led by a shrewd tactician, a focused and dedicated son of Mother Lanka) who sacrificed life and limb to protect the sovereignty of the nation.

It is also a celebration of a rare occasion when size does not matter! Compared to the lumbering enormity of Canada, the UK, Norway and Australia to name but a few countries, some of whose citizens tried every dirty trick in their arsenals to thwart the efforts for peace and unity in our little island nation, and to relegate Sri Lanka to the whims of a murdering misanthrope in order that their geopolitik and other selfish motivations might thrive, we are a small but proud and defiant nation, defiant in the face of injustice. Yet we have shown what dedication to an honest cause can do. We have destroyed a myth createdby parties with vested iterests.

Finally it is a celebration of the fact that people with minor differences can and will come together in nationhood. There will still be those who continue to stir up cauldrons of discord, playing one against the other as neo-colonial schemes dictate. There will also be those who will continue to benefit from playing the witch. Let them learn from this victory that honesty, sincerity and justice cannot be forever denied. Be proud in your moment of incredible achievement, SRI LANKA. You have shown the world that terorism can be defeated by honest dedication of purpose, focus and effort. It canot be destroyed by merely paying lip service to it. The ‘big’ countries that are talking about the eradication of terrorism can learn a crucial lesson from the tactics of the Sri Lankans. If you are serious about defeating the terrorists, stop the supply of the death dealing arsenals that some of you profit from supplying to them, and be true to your cause.

LONG LIVE THE SRI LANKAN NATION. MAYA NEW ERA OF PROSPERITY, PEACE AND HARMONY FLOURISH WTHIN HER SHORES.