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It takes two to unite

25 Oct 2022

In his Deepavali message to the public, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that in the spirit of Deepavali, the country should cast aside all differences and come together to collectively dispel the darkness that is currently shrouding the motherland, amidst the unprecedented challenges it is facing. He further said that peace, brotherhood, and unity are of significance in the celebration of Deepavali, and that in that light, all Sri Lankans, irrespective of race, religion, or political affiliation, should unite around Deepavali to rebuild the country. The irony of the President’s remarks in a context where the entire country has divided into various factions is not lost. While the Government has vowed that it is committed to establishing unity in the country, including in the post-war context, when it comes to the results of the authorities and politicians, the country does not seem to have achieved much. One important factor that the Government should understand and acknowledge is that unity is not a one-way street. It does not matter how long or genuinely the Government wants to see more unity in the country, because for the people to unite, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political differences, there has to be consensus among them with regard to the said matters that they have conflicts over. However, the Government seems to be under the impression that unity comes from the Government and that its decisions alone are adequate to establish unity in the country. That is, however, a misunderstanding. The country needs rulers and authorities that listen to the people. We cannot demand unity when there is great division among the population.  However, last week, the President again expressed willingness to hold discussions with those engaged in the “aragalaya” (the struggle), calling them “misled youth”. While his willingness to discuss the concerns of “aragalaya” activists is a welcome move, many question how honest his intentions are, given the fact that the Police and the military were deployed in unprecedented numbers to “handle” protesters. In this context, the President should also do what he says, and prove to the country that he is ready to prevent divisions among the population and the law enforcement and the defense forces as well. In other words, by allowing peaceful protests, he could highlight how much of a democratic, people-friendly leader he is, and one who stands against divisions within the country.  If the Government is serious about establishing national unity, first and foremost, it has to create a situation where all relevant parties feel that their voices are heard, and that their religious, ethnic, or other values are taken into account at the national level. Ignoring and shaming the people based on political agendas and thereby trying to divide them for narrow political objectives does not support this movement. On the contrary, it creates a certain aggression among the people, thus further dividing them. To move forward, the Government must establish the public confidence that has waned during the past few months. At the same time, existing mechanisms aimed at maintaining ethnic harmony should be strengthened. At the end of the day, unity is a collective effort and that needs to be directed wisely.


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