Finally, Sri Lanka has come to the threshold of Geneva horrors. For some, placing Sri Lanka on the tricky pedestal was an international conspiracy that hindered Lanka’s road to reconciliation. They also interpreted it to be a shameless attempt by the PRO-LTTE sects of the Diaspora who are seeking to take revenge while looking for a revival of the terror outfit. On the other hand, the so-called human rights activists and organizations, who were willfully blind to colossal atrocities committed by the quasi-guardians of liberal principles, found Sri Lanka’s war the most destructive manmade disaster, ever to have occurred on earth. The hyperboles and ironies are not for coffee table conversations. These actions by the supposed dignified bodies reek of absolute partiality and misinformation. Whether the act of regular criticism alone is enough to bust the myths is another matter.

The various war crime allegations and human rights charges are ready to be thrown at the Sri Lankan delegation in Geneva, with the UNHRC sessions going to be underway from today. Despite the pep talk and barefaced boasting by the Sri Lankan high heads before boarding the flights, one thing is clear-if the island nation is going to come out scotfree, it would not be a work of sheer luck alone. For anyone who narrated fairytales to the citizenry that Sri Lanka is invincible, Geneva is not going to offer the same cozy podium nor would it tolerate half of the nonsense they made people listen in order dodge the questions on reconciliation and resettlement. If they had thought, the citizenry will eternally dose off at their bedtime stories, it is rather sad that the bubble had to burst this way. Undeniably, whatever that has befallen Sri Lanka is not the work of the so-called enemies alone. In fact, the major part of the blame lies on hands of the decision-makers for their inability to make prompt decisions.

More than cries of the diaspora and the various sects of international organizations funded by the underground Tigers, what dragged Sri Lanka to Geneva was the lethargy and lack of feasible reconciliation mechanisms in dealing with the lives of the citizenry in the war ravaged North. The difficulties faced by these people became advertising material, through which the now toothless Tigers brainwashed the international community. If the government had used its authority to promptly remedy such agonies, - its action would have done the talking. The people themselves would have come forward for its rescue. Sadly, today, all Sri Lanka has is the Report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission whose recommendations still awaiting action.

If Sri Lanka will be able to buy time again, the government should not turn it to an epic nor should it be misinterpreted as invincibility; for beneath it lie a gigantic workload and an impossible deadline. Tri-lingual policy should not be mere eyewash nor should the LLRC report be a book adorning a library shelf.

At least the patriots seem to think Sri Lanka should not give into international pressure. True enough, Sri Lanka should not be doing things to please the international community, but things should be happening to please the natives; and that is what the government does not seem to know very much about.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka