The National Peace Council (NPC) issued a statement
in 2014 with a nice line: ‘No wise country celebrates war victory after a
civil war’. Civil war, did they say? Well, Pabalu Wijegoonawardane is not really
responding to the NPC but he offers a valid observation: ‘ආ...
දැන් අපේ
එක සිවිල්
වෝ එකක්
ලු.... ඔසාමා බින් ලාර්ඩන්
ට ගහපු
එක 'වෝ
ඔන් ටෙරර්'
ලු... නඩුත් හාමුදුරුවන් ගෙ
බඩුත් හාමුදුරුවන්
ගෙ ලු...”
(Alright, it seems that ours was a civil war…attacking Osama bin Laden was
[part of] ‘the war on terror’… what this means is that things are defined as
pleases the definer).
Whether
the NPC likes it or not, whether the other NPC (Northern Provincial Council) likes
it or not, whether those whose outcome preferences did not materialize like it
or not, the 18th day of May, 2009 was historic.
It was a landmark moment in the history of
the country and indeed the history of this century. You can call what preceded a ‘civil war’ and
that is up for debate mind you, but it would be hard to deny that what was
defeated was terrorism and a terrorist organization.
Now we
can argue whether or not it is appropriate to mark that day with a show of
military strength. I, for one, believe
that is silly. However, in the politics
of war-related language and literature, dismissing any celebration as a ‘celebration
of war’ or a ‘celebration of killing’ or as ‘triumphalism’ is just that:
political. It is political and
politically pernicious, because what that day signifies is not just the defeat
of terrorism (a legitimate reason to celebrate, one can argue).
Sri
Lanka did not suddenly transform into Paradise on the 18th of May,
2009, this is true. A lot of ugliness that ‘war’ had helped push to the margins
of civic consciousness surfaced (naturally) once the blanket called battle was
removed. That too is a cause for
celebration. And how was the right and space to celebrate such things was
obtained? Why, by defeating the LTTE! Celebrate that!
Of
course there was much that was recovered that warrants celebration. No more bombs. Shouldn’t we cheer that? No more fear for the fate of loved ones we
say ‘bye’ to in the morning. Cause for
cheer? No more wondering all day if when
you get home you’ll received some bad news about a child or a parent or a
friend. Shouldn’t we be happy? No more checkpoints, no more tension when
traveling or when in crowded places. No
more having to wonder if every bag, briefcase, school satchel or even what
looks like a lunch packet contains or is a bomb. No more wondering if anyone around you is a
suicide bomber. The list goes on.
But what
of those who are crying foul over people remembering and being glad about the military
and political drive that gave us that day of relief? And what of the people they claim to represent?
Well, the likes of
Wigneswaran, Sampanthan and the rest of the separatist core of the Tamil
National Alliance, got their tongues unfettered did they not? The democratic Tamil nationalist voice even
if it prefers to utter chauvinistic and land-grabbing rhetoric have recovered
voice. How? Well, thanks to certain
things that happened and which brought about ‘The 18th of May, 2009’. They can be glad that their Tamil brethren
are not being dragged hundreds of miles to provide a human shield for a bunch
of thugs, can’t they? And the
children! They aren’t being abducted and
forcibly conscripted to kill and to die, are they? They can be pleased that it is now possible for
people to walk around without wondering if they would fall victim to a
landmine. The Tamil Nadu fishermen
notwithstanding, the livelihoods of fisherfolk are now secured.
There
was none of this before May 18, 2009.
Thus there is cause for celebration, with or without caveat as dictated
by political preferences.
Of
course if it were only about celebration and doing nothing about grievances
(real) and aspirations (reasonable) or about real (as opposed to heavily
politicized and therefore people-less) reconciliation, then it would certainly
be a hollow exercise. The hollowness
notwithstanding, though, celebration is a right of those who believe there is
just cause. It can be belittled or
vilified, as the NPC and the TNA and fellow travelers of politics that talked
of talking to terrorists (read: submitting to terrorism) do, respectively, but
commemoration there will be. There’s
thanksgiving that has little to do with political colors or personalities, some
of it out of the limelight.
Denying
voice does not help. The Tamils who wish
to grieve or call for mourning have the right to do so. By the same token anyone who believes that
the 18th of May, 2009 brought relief, opened the space for
democratization, greater freedoms and most of all allowed us to stop worrying
about bombs and bullets, has every right to celebrate, one way or another.
The
children of this country are sleeping better now than they did before the 18th
of May, 2009. Parents are worrying
less. Sure, other nightmares and worries
will trouble. Sure, we cannot guarantee
that there will be no more wars.
However, we do know that the 18th day of May in the year 2009
made a difference to all our lives. A positive difference, even if we may not
have liked those who actually brought about that difference.
This article was published in the Daily Mirror on May 19, 2016.
Malinda Seneviratne is a freelance writer. Email: malindasenevi@gmail.com. Twitter: malindasene.
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