Suni Perera

Has The Lankan Administration not learned their lessons  from the past one wonders?

Indeed !  being pushed to limitations may be an issue  in a country where emotions run high on racial issues but what transpired recently on the Sinhala – Muslim conflagaration seems to have been a rank breakdown on the part of the Government to maintain Law and Order as the Sinhalese as usual went on their rampages causing much world alarm where many reckon it could have been prevented rather than fires being fomented from various quarters of the Sinhala Community regardless of its justifiability. And to add to the chagrin all of it went on under the watchful albeit indifferent eye of law enforcement which seems shameful and the ursurping of democratic rights of Sri Lankans regardless of their ethnicity – in this case the Muslim community of Sri Lanka.

A very appropriate media quote speaks much for the reality of it all with no compunctions.

“People have had their livelihoods, their memories, their very way of life, burnt to ashes.

When did we foster such apathy in our country? How could we begin to care so little for people who are conceivably only a three-hour car drive away from us? How could anyone who has ever made friends with a Muslim, studied with a Muslim, or taken the time to not eat in front of a Muslim who is fasting, not find the courage and the integrity to stand up for them, when their world seems to be catching fire?

The Muslims have lived in our country for longer than racism has been institutionalized in our culture.

Yet, what is seen is a desire to sweep everything that has happened under the rug, and continue on with our lives in the ‘normalcy’ we were in for time imemorial

We cannot begin to make a single thing different if we do not try to act against those root causes of extremism in our country. Racism does nothing for us. It simply provides an inexhaustible outlet for our frustration, again and again. We cannot give into a herd mentality, and that begins with each of us. If social media is the price of self-awareness, then please, charge its taxes. Maybe that will make us notice.” end quote.

It has to be undeniably observed that such aberrations and miscarriages of justice as what it tantamounts to were never seen to such intensity by any previous administration and it seems apathetic that the present Government was inefficient in handling the situation and bringing it under control where hopefully this will not happen in the future as it would be a poor reflection on those who carry out justice in the land where the affected  need to be adequately compensated for.

Has the Nation and her people forgotten the horrors of four decades past and the attrocities which must be remembered as testimony where it was intolerance and mismanagement that caused the greatest harm and good management  and forceful resolve which eventually quelled and solved the related isues bringing peace to a turbulent Nation.

Sri Lanka can ill afford to be tested on an issue which almost destroyed the Nation previously and need to rebuild her resources towards maintaining stability and national security where the role the Administration plays is unquestionable towards the well being of all Sri Lankans and the prevention of the Nation becoming the laughing stock of the world at large!