by
Seevali Abeysekera

Whilst a never ending torrential thunderstorm enveloped Johannesburg yesterday, many world leaders gathered to pay their respects to the man reverentially referred to as “ Madiba “ – Nelson Mandela.

Heads of states had quickly re-scheduled their diaries in order to be seen to be paying their respects to the man seen by the world as the ultimate living embodiment of the human spirit – a man who showed the world that decisions and actions should be guided by love, justice and peace and not by anger, bitterness or hatred.

Madiba was the embodiment of the human spirit where human beings can change for the better – where reconciliation is not just forgetting the past but learning and acting on it, where we can find the largeness of the human spirit inside of us in order to forgive those who have oppressed us, where our own freedom depends on the freedom of the other, and where humanity is bound together and expressed by caring for each other.
It is best described by the Zulu word – Ubuntu (I am because you are).

Amongst the gathering of world leaders was our own Mahinda Rajapaksa who whilst listening to the many eulogies given about Madiba, would have heard one particular and poignant line which I hope would have resonated within his mind – “world leaders champion the ideals of Madiba such as racial reconciliation and the struggle for freedom but resist even modest reforms that would challenge growing inequality and do not tolerate dissent from their own people “.

They say perception is reality. Madiba was perceived to be a demi-god but in his own words he was “not a saint but a sinner who tried to do better “. Madiba had the humility and wisdom not to believe in the myth and hype that accompanied his name. He knew the very freedom that he sacrificed so much for also depended on the same freedom for ALL others.

All of which brings me on to the subject of the country that binds us all together.

The perception of and the reality in Sri Lanka are polar opposites depending on who one listens to and on which side the divide one finds oneself in. Those of SL ancestry domiciled overseas and living in sanitised environments are somewhat comfortable in the complacency or cynicism of what is perceived and what is real in mother Lanka. Perhaps it is time their voices are heard.

Some, like me, who are no longer domiciled in mother Lanka are caught between the proverbial rock and the hard place when it comes to making any observations about the land of our ancestry. We are no longer stakeholders of the country and thus by default not able to make a tangible contribution to its future. Observations seen as complementary to its current status and objectives are welcomed internally but any observations perceived as even slightly negative or uncomplimentary triggers a reaction which can be hostile at best or vitriolic at its worst.

Reading various SL publications as well as listening to and engaging in dialogue with those living in SL, those domiciled abroad broadly appear to fall in to two camps. On one side are those who either accept or at least are comfortable with the narrative put forward by and the actions of the GoSL (friends of SL – good guys ), and on the other those who disagree with the narrative and the actions of the GoSL ( hostile to SL / Diaspora / LTTE – bad guys ).

The “bad guys” camp is then spilt further on ethnic lines.

Firstly, those living abroad with non-Tamil surnames are assumed to be –

Not “qualified” to speak about internal SL matters, have lived abroad too long and have thus become too western in their outlook, do not realise what twenty six years of living under the spectre of random bombings and indiscriminate killings did to the SL psyche, do not contribute to the SL economy and thus have no right to comment, gullible fools who are taken in by the media war being waged against SL

I believe this group have a purely altruistic view of right and wrong, perhaps based on shared experiences of trying to both assimilate and integrate into the societies of their domiciled countries. I suspect this group will in main consist of those who studied overseas and have a professional background.
Secondly, those living abroad with Tamil surnames are assumed to be –

The dreaded Tamil diaspora who are still dreaming of a Tamil Eelam or hard core LTTE activists now conducting an asymmetrical non-violent campaign against SL using all available means including media manipulation

Whilst there are those within the Tamil Diaspora whose singular objective is still the creation of Tamil Eelam, it would be wrong to assume that the majority of SL Tamils domiciled abroad have the desire for a separate state.

I am of the view that many of the SL Tamil lobby groups active in the west have no real desire for reconciliation – their singular objective remains the creation of Tamil Eelam. The perception created by these lobby groups is that they are the voice of the SL Tamil diaspora and whilst they are indeed very vocal, active and influential, I do not however believe that they represent the majority of the SL Tamil diaspora. The majority have a desire (I hope) for what they regard as justice in terms of addressing their grievances but within the integrity of a single nation

We need to be cognisant of the fact that the vast majority of SL Tamils domiciled abroad left SL after 1983. Thus by default they perceive that they were compelled to leave SL simply because of their ethnicity. This in turn creates a sense of injustice perpetrated not by some individuals but by the state. This perception of injustice became a reality and which still remains.

The majority of the SL Tamil diaspora needs to be reconciled with the rest of the nation. This reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past but a means of confronting it with inclusion, generosity and above all the truth. It is therefore incumbent upon the state to reach out to them and engage with them in a way that makes them reciprocate. The state must act on behalf of justice and peace. To quote yet another example of the Madiba factor –“human beings and countries can change for the better “.

SL is a sovereign nation which has faithfully adhered to the principles of democracy since 1948 and we must all respect the fact that all its governments have been elected by the people and for the people.

For those of us domiciled abroad, It is quite true to say that whatever good or bad happens in Sri Lanka will not have any economic effect on us. The only effect is emotional and that too does not impact on our day to day lives. We can in effect become tourists who come back from time to time to enjoy an extremely comfortable holiday.

That approach however will deny Sri Lanka a rich tapestry of experience, knowledge and vision that the nation can benefit from by encouraging a broader spectrum of views. The worldwide Sri Lankan diaspora has a lot to offer and their experience and knowledge, however diverse, should be harnessed and their views, right across the economic, political and social landscape, listened to, for the betterment of the nation. That in itself is a process of healing and reconciliation.

To quote yet another example of the Madiba factor – “the sacrifice of the unknown can shape the future of the known”

Mandela spent 27 years in jail and on his release he healed the wounds of his nation. He not only changed laws but he changed the hearts of ALL the people and his legacy will live as long as human beings exist.

Sri Lanka was at war for 26 years. The guns have now fallen silent but are we capable winning the peace and the hearts of ALL our people?