Avant-garde Reconciliation A Victory for Common Sense

Whoever said that demand must drive supply was certainly not talking about reconciliation. However, the relevance and applicability of the philosophy and its wisdom in a post-war reconciliation setting cannot be overstated.

After all, reconciliation is as important a goal as it is a process. While efforts in post-war rehabilitation, reintegration, and reconstruction have been commendable for the most part, the dividends of such efforts can be sustained and lead to a meaningful transformation by the adoption of pragmatic mechanisms.
The democratic process of involving those affected in decisions that will ultimately affect their own lives serves an immediate purpose in itself – it rebuilds confidence in the State.  

This will, in turn, ensure sustainability of the dividends of the initiatives, lead to empowerment of previously vulnerable and marginalised individuals and communities, kindle renewed hope in the future, while throughout fostering independence and self-sufficiency in the individuals and communities concerned. That said, it must be cautioned, that while such consultations and discussions should be held regularly they must also seek to be inclusive.In this regard, two approaches can be considered.




GRAMA NILADHARI AND DIVISIONAL SECRETARIATS
The value in empowering the smallest possible units in the state’s administrative structure cannot be overstated, for the greater the reach to the grassroots communities, the higher the chance that needs will be met. In this regard, strengthening the capacities, both structurally and functionally, of Divisional Secretariats and Grama Niladhari Divisions will be of extreme benefit.

While such an approach of local consultation, participation and ownership will serve communities well, they will also provide higher benefits to the State. It will ensure accountability, transparency of processes and goals, inform international aid programmes, ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of programme benefits, strengthening the social contract, and contributing to a new system of governance.





A COMMITTEE OF CONSCIENCE
Religious delegations appearing before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission(LLRC) have emphasised the constructive role that inter-faith religious groups could play in promoting reconciliation, by planning and executing united and collective action.

Religious dignitaries representing different faiths who appeared before the LLRC stressed the value of religion and faith in healing the wounds of conflict and fostering reconciliation. It was stated that the spirituality and common human values founded and strengthened by the different religious teachings should be used as a force to promote inter-ethnic understanding and social cohesion. In this context spirituality was accepted as the ability to recognize among the diverse doctrines a common space and substance.

There was general acceptance by different inter-faith and religious groups who, appeared before the LLRC that a mechanism to serve as an early warning system could be a useful preventive measure to stabilize efforts of reconciliation.



" The democratic process of involving those affected in decisions that will ultimately affect their own lives serves an immediate purpose in itself – it rebuilds confidence in the State "



NORTH-EAST INTER-FAITH FORUM FOR RECONCILIATION
The North-East Inter-Faith Forum for Reconciliation (NEIFR) in its submissions before the LLRC proposed an institutional arrangement for the purpose. The recommendation is for what is called a Committee of Conscience. It proposes the constitution – with the assistance of the people and without political patronage – a national committee rooted in spiritual guidelines of the right to life, and the sharing of common space and resources. This would be the apex body to advise the government on resource access and allocation, ethical harnessing of natural resources and function as advocates for safety of endowments. This Committee will also advise desirable changes to the education system.

Since its submission, NEIFR took the initiative to feel the pulse of the people of the North-East for constituting such a Committee of Conscience recommended to the LLRC. It has placed on record that overwhelming support for a Committee of Conscience emanated from participants at meetings held. While innovative, legitimate and efficient structures like a Committee of Conscience networked to regionally constituted inter-faith forums and councils is critical, attitudinal change must be fostered towards peaceful coexistence and enjoyment of justice, equality, human rights and security as Sri Lankans.




A COMMON IDENTITY
In this regard, the need to cultivate and capitalise on the crucial aspect that unites all its peoples — the common identity of being Sri Lankan — is imperative in the ultimate analysis of moving the nation forward to a sustainable and durable peace and prosperity.

The notion of Sri Lankan is then not an identity separate from each of the differences. Rather, it is an identity that has resulted from the combination and co-habitation of the various identities. If each citizen sees that being Sri Lankan does not necessitate the need to give up his or her own identity or multiple identities but rather that the notion of being Sri Lankan subsumes all such identities, we will then reconcile our differences more easily. For what affects the individual and separate identities will in turn affect the common identity of all.

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