The Sri Lankan public could entertain a feeling of optimism on this 76th Independence Day with the country all but emerging out of the bleak economic scenario and heading towards recovery. The public could also live in hope that things will improve in the coming years with President Ranil Wickremesinghe charting a new economic course to make Sri Lanka a developed nation by 2048.
It is the prolonged economic crisis and missed opportunities since gaining Independence in 1948 that pushed the nation back making the people unable to savour true Independence. We say missed opportunities taking into consideration the promise shown by the nation in the early days of Independence which made even other world leaders wanting to model their countries on Ceylon as we were then known.
Alas, we fell by the wayside, chiefly due to the mistakes and blunders made by our politicians not to mention divisions based on race and religion which has plunged the country to its present state. It should be the duty of all, at least now, to view things from a different perspective giving true value to our Independence. All should contribute their mite to steer the country to a better position in order to make it realise its true potential. This is one way in which we could give true meaning to our Independence.
Independence Day in the recent past was held in a not-so-bright environment with the country going through one of its worst phases in its post-Independence history buffeted by a chronic economic recession resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and multiple other self-inflicted crises.
Though celebrations were scaled-down no doubt the spirit of Independence continued to pulsate in the breasts of all citizens of this nation even amidst the gloom the country was placed in.
The country could look back with pride on certain landmark achievements down the road, but things could certainly have been much better on both the social and economic front had not 30 years of these 76 years were preoccupied with fighting a debilitating internal war that all but sapped the vitals of the nation. There were also two other major uprisings in the South that pushed back progress. Recently too, the country was virtually under siege by another external threat in the form of extremist terrorism that also caused massive damage to the country’s economy. There was also political turmoil and instability that took the country down the wrong path, at a tremendous cost to the nation’s well-being.
Tribute to heroes
The present rulers will be preoccupied with arriving at immediate solutions to pull the country out of the multiple crises while at the same time making encouraging speeches invoking the people to dwell on the nation’s rich history and past grandeur.
Fittingly, on this Independence Day, the accent will be on commemorating the roles and sacrifices made by all past leaders representing all communities, in the nation’s struggle for Independence. Hopefully, this will rekindle in the present generation the patriotism that leaders of all nationalities in the past demonstrated, paving the way for a united and reconciled nation.
There is no doubt a lot of catching up to do if we are to make strides to keep pace with a rapidly changing world, its technological advances, and all other spheres of activity. Moreover, for all Sri Lankans, this Independence Day should be a time to resolve to put their collective shoulders to the wheel to make the country achieve its much-cherished goals leading to progress and prosperity.
There will be much optimism and also many imponderables as the country sets itself to continue on its post-independence journey with many challenges yet to surmount. It is as good a time as any other to reflect and for stocktaking on what our achievements are and where we have failed.
Sri Lanka can be satisfied a lot with the way things had turned out during the last 76 years. Equally, there is also cause for disappointment and recriminations. Party politics too played its part leading to disunity and disharmony that divided the nation when what was needed was a collective effort on the part of all to lift the country from the economic and other pitfalls.
On the positive side, Sri Lanka has advanced to the status of a Middle Income Country. It has also advanced in leaps and bounds in other facets. Its social indices are among the best in Asia and it boasts of one of the best healthcare services in the world and is among the few countries in Asia with low maternal mortality rates.
The same could be said with regard to technological advancement, not surprising for a country with a 90 percent literacy rate. The country has also advanced by leaps and bounds in industrial output. For all its success and advancements in many spheres and sectors, the country has yet to reach its full potential.
Our responsibility towards motherland
The reason for this is a fractured and highly polarised political landscape that has stultified development and enterprise. Divisions based on communal lines too have exacerbated the problem. There is also a tendency to forget that leaders of all communities who put their shoulders to the wheel to achieve Independence and free the country from the colonial yolk. Selfishness has also seen collective efforts to achieve progress being stymied.
Hence, all these fault lines need to be repaired if the country is to forge ahead and achieve its development goals. All Sri Lankan citizens here and abroad should identify their responsibilities towards the Motherland. They should cultivate a strong work ethic in their workplaces and do their optimum to reap the benefits of their labour for the country.
This country cannot afford to have malingerers and shirkers if we are to get anywhere. Countries such as Singapore, which looked up to us for inspiration at one time, have forged ahead as developed nations due to a dedicated and committed workforce while the tendency here had always been to do the least possible one can get away with. This lackadaisical hands-off approach needs to be overcome and an enthusiasm cultivated within us to do the maximum for Motherland if we are to reach our true potential. The Sri Lankan Diaspora can and should play a wider role in this noble exercise.
Some may say that the country is independent only in name and there is no economic independence. They will point out that we are still dependent on our colonial masters and other countries for our economic sustenance. There will also be those who will maintain that we are still being dictated to by others and work to the agendas set by them. The involvement of many international actors in post-war Sri Lanka has added credence to this contention.
Not only that, but we are also now being dragged into the power games of the big nations and find ourselves being made pawns in geopolitical battles of the superpowers increasingly.
Hence, we will be confronted by huge challenges in the times to come, and how we will fare collectively in confronting them, will perhaps decide our survival as a nation. Therefore this should be the time to forget all petty and parochial differences and stand united to face up to the multiple challenges that will come our way. There is in fact a long way to go before social and economic independence is achieved by the country.
For the moment though, the keen attention of the nation will be focused on the main Independence Day celebrations at the Galle Face Green. Time was when Independence Day was observed with due solemnity given the significance of the event. With the passage of time, this gave way to extravagant parades and military and cultural displays.
The war brought about a radical change in the celebrations with the military element being the dominant feature. Independence Day was transformed into an occasion to display the country’s military muscle and hardware. Today’s event will be no exception although with less fanfare given the circumstances.
Learning history, vital
Independence Day has become just another national event over the years and is forgotten soon thereafter. Even in schools, in the lower grades, not much is being taught to the children about the significance of our Independence and what it entails for the younger generation. This may be the reason why many are not aware of the contributions and sacrifices made by all communities in the achievement of Independence. We recall that leaders from all communities and religious groups were in the forefront of the Independence Struggle in the 1930s and 1940s.
The education authorities must think of ways to impart this fact into the minds of the students from their formative years, lest the next generation too falls prey to distortion by racist elements. We simply cannot afford to have racial and religious divisions in this land of serendipity if we are determined to usher in a brighter future for the next generation.
