Roy Ratnavel's insights on Sri Lanka appeared in our July TamilChangemakers Newsletter. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here and join our private LinkedIn group here.

 

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I’m an accidental Sri Lankan by birth. All countries swaddle themselves in myths, and the Sri Lankans are just as self-indulgent as others, but this country houses a vast number of demagogues and many grifters with the gift for endless hyperbole, hucksterism and a dizzying array of old-school corruption. Sri Lanka is a prime example of why countries like this have not progressed economically and evolved politically from the dawn of independence. Since then, Sri Lanka has been governed by leaders with a penchant for racial hate and redrafting history. It is symptomatic of a country light-years away from attaining true nationhood. ​

 

Sure, mugging the blind is against the law, but it’s also easy. To prevent it, civil society depends, for the most part, not on the police but on civilized people making the conscious decision not to do it. The democratic political system assumes a certain minimum level of ethical behaviour, responsibility and civility on the part of elected government officials that is above what is explicitly spelled out by the constitution. If those ethics are absent — well, democracy just isn’t going to work. In the absence of an overwhelming and fundamental change in Sri Lankan attitude and behaviour, equality of race, religion and gender will never be possible in that country. ​

 

The true greatness of a nation — like Canada — is its willingness to accord all communities status and dignity equal to the majority, to weld those diverse groups into a harmonious polity. Unless, and until, Sri Lanka can produce leaders who can realize that truth and are willing to act on it — it will continue to be dismembered by conflict well into the future. In 1948, when Sri Lanka got its independence, it was considered to be the post-colonial nation most likely to succeed economically and democratically. Unfortunately, since then, Sri Lanka has been governed by leaders with racial hatred. Through their hatred, they have destroyed the country. Sri Lanka has finally collapsed!.

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