Seventy-eight years after the declaration of Independence, Sri Lanka needs to confront an uncomfortable but necessary question. What does independence really mean today? 

For decades, Independence Day has been marked with parades, speeches, and familiar rhetoric about freedom from colonial rule. That history matters and should never be dismissed. The struggle against colonial domination shaped the modern Sri Lankan State and restored a sense of dignity to a people long governed by others. But in 2026, independence can no longer be understood merely as freedom from former colonisers. If it remains trapped in ritual and nostalgia, it risks losing relevance for a generation facing very different challenges. 

Independence was never meant to be an end point. It was a beginning. The promise of 1948 was not only self-rule, but better rule. It was about building a country that could stand on its own feet, treat its citizens equally, and govern itself with integrity. Judged by those standards, our independence remains a work in progress.

Economic dependence is one of the clearest reminders of this unfinished journey. A nation struggling to manage debt, stabilise its currency, and protect its most vulnerable citizens from repeated economic shocks cannot claim full freedom of choice. When policy is driven by crisis rather than vision, sovereignty becomes constrained in practice, even if it exists on paper. True independence today requires economic discipline, transparency in public finance, and long-term planning that places the national interest above short-term political gain.

Equally important is the independence of institutions. Courts, regulators, the police, and oversight bodies are meant to serve the public, not the powerful. When institutions are weakened by political interference or selective enforcement of the law, independence quietly erodes from within. A country cannot be truly free if justice depends on who you are or whom you know. The strength of a nation’s independence is reflected not in slogans, but in whether its institutions can act without fear or favour.

There is also a deeper social dimension that cannot be ignored. Independence means little to communities who feel excluded from its benefits. When poverty limits opportunity, when children are pushed into labour instead of classrooms, when citizens feel unsafe to speak their minds, freedom becomes unevenly distributed. The promise of independence was meant for all Sri Lankans, not a privileged few. Seventy-eight years on, the challenge is to make that promise real across ethnicity, gender, class, and geography.

Corruption remains another unresolved burden. Colonialism once drained wealth outward. Corruption drains it inward. Both leave lasting damage. When public resources are misused and accountability is avoided, citizens lose faith not only in governments but in the idea of independence itself. Demanding clean governance is not unpatriotic. It is one of the most meaningful ways to honour the spirit of self-rule.

Independence also calls for a degree of mental and cultural self-confidence that Sri Lanka still struggles to fully embrace. Even now, our institutions, education systems, and measures of success often echo colonial-era frameworks. Engaging with the world is essential, but doing so from a position of self-respect and equality matters just as much. Valuing local knowledge, languages, and solutions is part of completing the journey begun in 1948.

Perhaps most importantly, independence must be understood as a responsibility to future generations. A nation burdened by unsustainable debt, environmental neglect, and weakened democratic norms passes on a diminished freedom to its youth. Protecting natural resources, strengthening democratic participation, and investing seriously in education are not abstract ideals. They are practical acts of patriotism.

It may also be time to rethink how Independence Day itself is marked. Instead of a day that feels distant or ceremonial to many, it should become a truly national day for all Sri Lankans. A day that encourages reflection as much as celebration. A day that asks whether freedom is being shared, safeguarded, and renewed. Independence should unite citizens around common values of justice, dignity, and responsibility, rather than simply commemorating the end of colonial rule.

After 78 years, Sri Lanka’s independence should no longer be measured by how grandly it is celebrated, but by how honestly it is practised. Real independence lives in accountable governance, fair opportunity, economic empowerment, strong institutions, and a shared sense of belonging.