Prospects For Peace In Sri Lanka

"Peace" is a term that has a lot of significances in contemporary Sri Lanka. Needless to say it is due to the recent victory against terrorism. From a personal perspective I believe that the definition of 'peace' is all together a subjective matter. For example: ethnicity, class and religion all matter. However much modern Sri Lankans say "we are one" "regardless of race or creed" we; each of us still have our insecurities.

With the recent defeat of the LTTE on a military level the tamil minority and especially the Tamil diaspora are still in a dilemma. For some of them the LTTE is the sole rescuer of the rights of the Tamil people. For the others, they do not know how the post war scenario will play out, they are still conscious of the Sinhalese reactions towards them immediately after the past LTTE bombings/ mass murders.

From the Sinhalese perspective, while the Tamil diaspora is spread out globally, geographic wise, Sinhalese are trying hard to keep their only geographical landscape. Ultimately as one apprehends it all boils down to a matter of territory, like that of the uncivilized man.

With this heated power struggle going on between the two dominant parties, the other ethnic minorities such as Muslims, Burghers, Malays are being battered by being on the middle ground.
The only positive solution that should be administered for this predicament is to create better cultural understanding. The past is past everybody needs to accept it and move on not delve and repine in it.

Earlier this month I took part in one such youth camp organized by Sri Lankan undergraduates for other Sri Lankan undergraduates. Yes there was some tension. The objective was to promote better cultural understanding and hostility is something one has to deal with if one is setting out to deal with a matter closer to heart But overall it was a success.

So I believe the future prospects for peace in Sri Lanka lie in the hands of the youth of Sri Lanka and the means of achieving it, is by promoting mutual cultural understanding.
