By Surendra Ajit Rupasinghe –

If we forget the past, we cannot charter the future. We will be enslaved in a cycle of pre-determined destiny. The past, present and future are interwoven. That is why historical memory is so important. Every ruler tries to delete memory, believing that the people will be entranced by the magic of the present and the miracles of the future.

Should we forget the brutal assassinations of Lasantha, Raviraj, Pararajasingham, and so many other outstanding citizens?

There is the strident appeal by some that we should now bury the past and get on with the future. War crimes, violations and atrocities stand in the way of justice and reconciliation, they say. These people are in a hurry to get on with the business of the day. They look upon us who call for accountability and justice as people who suffer from a wounded conscience, riddled with irresolvable moral dilemmas.

Should we forget the brutal assassinations of Lasantha, Raviraj, Pararajasingham, and so many other outstanding citizens? Should we now forget out of sheer  political exhaustion the horror of those raped, abducted, disappeared and killed ? Should we get beyond the assassination of a nation and the subjugation of a people? Should we comply with the emperors and monarchs of deception and murder? Should we mutely comply when the halls of justice and the seats of legislation are turned into rubber stamps for crimes against nature and humanity. Should we silently  observe out of sheer awe and fear the death of democracy and freedom? Then, we shall surely be witness to the death of our own worth, our dignity, as human beings possessed of humanity. To do so would be to assassinate our own conscience, to murder our collective humanity. Let us never forget the crimes committed against us, since, if we do, we shall become accomplices. The tide recedes, dawn follows the night, spring follows winter. That is the law of Nature. So we must take heart, take courage and learn to abide with Nature. We must continue to raise our consciousness, forge our collective will and continue on the path of justice and freedom, if we are to regain our dignity and humanity. Let us be accountable to ourselves, so we may hold others accountable!