“The Sri Lanka of today is much bolder and far more confident, far less likely to be dictated to and far more attuned to her own rhythms and priorities”.

A serialized review by Dr. SinhaRaja Tammita-Delgoda on a paper by Ashok Mehta –'Sri Lanka's Ethnic Conflict: How Eelam War IV was Won' appeared in Sunday Island on 31st October, 07^th November and 14^th November 2010.

What struck me most was the following concluding paragraphs by the reviewer. It sums up what ticks inside the head of the present government. All the adversaries to the present regime who try to force things on her should first understand this reality.

"The whole episode only serves to underlines a basic reality. The solution that everybody else desires may not be desirable for Sri Lanka; it may not even be workable, and ultimately, it is Sri Lanka which will have to pay the price. This is something which India and the outside world have yet to understand. Only then, can there be a permanent resolution.

In this context, it is important to point out that the Sri Lanka of today is no longer the country that it was before the last Eelam War. As Sri Lanka has changed, so have her politics and so, has her idea of her place in the world. Despite the immense pressure which has been applied by the United Nations, the western powers and India, Sri Lanka continues to go her own way. After having defied all the odds and come through the very worst, it is unlikely that this administration will give way on anything less. To force it to do so would only exaggerate, increase tensions and shore up trouble for the future.

The Sri Lanka of today is much bolder and far more confident, far less likely to be dictated to and far more attuned to her own rhythms and priorities. It is a story which all those dealing with Sri Lanka should try to understand, for it is the reality which they will encounter."