The third anniversary, Victory Parade – on Saturday 19th May – what for?

The march past and parade order and number of officers and soldiers of the Tri Forces and Police have been announced in advance. The usual fanfare and panoply with aircraft from the Air Force overhead, and naval craft from the Navy on the high seas will be all part of this event at Galle Face Green.

There will be compulsory TV on all main Channels to show this strength and for us not to forget who won the Civil War. Whilst we eliminated one of the most ruthless terrorist outfits that have ever been created, it was nevertheless the citizens of one country killing the citizens of the same country. It is generally not something that one celebrates when some citizens suffer at the expense of other citizens. It is merely time to reflect on those who sacrificed their lives on both sides for a futile cause of a few megalomaniacal people.

There is no celebration as such of the winners in the American Civil War, merely a remembrance and reflection never to get into a situation like that again. I do not like to use examples as we should have our own home grown solutions, but a large swathe of the country who are kith and kin of the vanquished DO NOT want to be reminded of the terror and torture they had to undergo, first under the LTTE and then as suspects incarcerated until they could be re settled.

It is therefore merely a celebration of the victors over the vanquished, both communities of which live in Sri Lanka. This is not a good gesture for unity of the country. It is a populist move to enhance the strength of the regime, that prides itself in reminding the people of their achievement in the war, whilst the person singularly responsible for winning the war languishes in jail or in a hospital!!

There ironies are not lost on the people. Karuna who is directly responsible for killing 600 Sinhala Policemen in the East, has not sought forgiveness, but has been given a prominent place in the Government. KP who was responsible for keeping the LTTE funds, has forfeited much of it to the Government individuals, (nothing has been accounted for to the State and included in State Revenue to date)

The amounts spirited away by the senior govt. officials in overseas bank accounts are substantial from this account, and for that privilege they have effectively given KP unconditional freedom. These events do not add credibility for holding such events, as it is merely for propaganda purposes of our people, and does not serve any purpose except to keep people in the forces, occupied, when they are not busy as 24hr workers in construction sites or agriculture or even landscape labor. We must pity our countrymen for being taken for such an almighty ride.