Let 2010 be a year of compassion and growth for Sri Lanka

“Sri Lanka has enormous strength in the form of natural resources, a beautiful landscape and people who would work and sweat willingly for forging ahead. They need a proper action plan and strategy and guidance from a well meaning government in tune with the prevalent global trends in technology and practices.”
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By N.S.Venkataraman

(December 29, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The year 2009 has proved to be decisive for Sri Lanka, giving hope particularly to the deprived and disheartened minorities, that an era of peace and tranquility will ultimately begin for them.

Millions of words have been written and spoken all over the world as to whether the means adopted to end the conflict in Sri Lanka were appropriate. While some would argue that every act is fair in a war like situation, there could also be arguments that sufferings of the innocents should not happen even in the event of a war. History will judge the role of many players in the ethnic conflict that tormented Sri Lanka for such a long period. Whatever may be the views, one cannot mistake the fact that there is an air of relief amongst every section of Sri Lankan citizens that the conflict have finally ended.

In such situation, it is very important that the Government of Sri Lanka should show great quality of statesmanship to win the confidence of everyone in the country and build hope that whoever may form the government in Sri Lanka, they would be fair and far sighted. Obviously, those in charge of the Sri Lankan government face challenges and opportunities and it is now the right time to prove themselves to the world community that they have the vision and wisdom to win an era of peace after winding up an era of conflict.

In developing countries, particularly in Asia, people generally look for the leaders in the Government to lay the path for the future and generally look for inspiration from the government. Therefore, the quality of governance and the sense of responsibility and devotion to the cause that the government would exhibit would go a long way in setting the mood in the country. The question is whether the politicians and bureaucrats in Sri Lankan government can rise upto the occasion.

Sri Lanka has enormous strength in the form of natural resources, a beautiful landscape and people who would work and sweat willingly for forging ahead. They need a proper action plan and strategy and guidance from a well meaning government in tune with the prevalent global trends in technology and practices.

The problem for Sri Lankan government is that it almost has to start from a scratch as considerable portion of the country which was the area of conflict until recently remains devastated. It needs huge resources for rebuilding the economy of the erstwhile war zone and this cannot be done without a dose of great efficiency combined with an understanding of the mood, capability and expectations of the population. These jobs would largely become easy in an atmosphere of goodwill and compassion.

Obviously, the compassion has to come from those who are in authority. A government machinery by itself cannot be compassionate unless a human touch would be brought in the dealings of the government, which would be possible only by involving the scholars, intellectuals and religious personalities in the task.

The year 2010 would prove to be a rewarding and fruitful happy year for Sri Lanka , if the national leadership would successfully energise the country in an atmosphere of good will for everybody from every one. If the country would be fortunate to have the leadership that would combine compassion with efficiency and appropriate programme for progress, Sri Lanka would emerge stronger and can even become a role model for the developing countries. The beginning of the year 2010 has set the right stage to leap forward .

Let the year 2010 be a year of glory for Sri Lanka.