tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225091697660442060.post2307512982066848021..comments2023-08-23T07:59:52.107-04:00Comments on SriLankans for Peace: WINNING THE INVISIBLE CONFLICT: Is Sri Lanka headed for sustainable peace?SriLankans4Peacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13219835664832543491noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225091697660442060.post-25578671185233598832010-05-21T12:48:55.427-04:002010-05-21T12:48:55.427-04:00Interview with John Paul Lederach:
http://www.yout...Interview with John Paul Lederach:<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2KZc0rXZGQ<br /><br />Interview with Dr Brubaker:<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2X14cCnR0EPushpi Weerakoonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8225091697660442060.post-55779725166605437792010-05-21T07:30:38.770-04:002010-05-21T07:30:38.770-04:00This is a good article. It touches on several impo...This is a good article. It touches on several important aspects of the conflict and conflict resolution. This reminds me how some of my friends in Boston reacted to the news of the war coming to an end. We gathered in the Boston Buddhist Vihara that evening and collectively reminded all those who died in the war including civilians and parties to the armed conflict, and resovled that Sri Lankans will never have to kill each other like this ever. However, what followed was not that pleasant. Jubillant people celebrating a "victory", emerging family centered dynasties out of elected politicians, and concerted effort of the state media to polarize the society to two distinct camps - patriots and traitors - frustrated some of us. We later found that the top military leaders who steered the war with the same intension of bringing in lasting peace to Sri Lanka felt the same. Frustrated with the opportunistic politics, General Sarath Fonseka changed tracks and undertook to do politics himself and ended up in Jail. Many critical civilians ended up in jail too, and a fear psychosis chilled thousands of others who saw some apparent mis-management of the post-war society.<br /><br />The way out of this mess is to genuinely investigate the political aspirations of all the radicalized political movements, and to design political solutions other than bribing, abducting, or selectively using the law to send them to jail, to soften radicalism. It is tested and proven that freedom of expression and respect for human rights helps a society to be fluidic and be able to accomodate diverse ideas while changing and moving forward. Social dynamics of change are too complex to be controlled with central planning. It should function like a waterfall that allows local chaos withing an outer identity through a unifying force of gravity (National vision for humanity).<br /><br />Sri Lanka has fought three bloody battles among its own citizens since the independance in 1948. Its system has managed to brew benign radical movements to international terrorist groups. The fourth one can be even more brutal. Again the Patriots will kill traitors. The traitors will grow in number and they will be Sri Lankan citizens. Sri Lanka will watch other small Nations teaming up their ethnic groups to march towards broad human aspirations and say being a Patriot is more important than being a human being.Thrishantha Nanayakkarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01263493558207098657noreply@blogger.com