The Official Website of the Royal Family of Jaffna (Sri Lanka)

ஆரியச்சக்கரவர்த்தி வம்சம்ආර්ය චක්‍රවර්තී රාජවංශය

Arya Cakravartti Dynasty

STATEMENT BY
HRH THE RAJA REMIGIUS KANAGARAJAH OF JAFFNA

There were several inquiries about my silence on this Memorial Day of 18th May 2021. I am concerned as to how the civil war in Sri Lanka sustained for three decades. In my opinion it was a commercialized war. A nation did not fight against another nation. Two ethnic communities born and bred on the same soil fought against each other, a Sri Lankan vs Sri Lankan.

A civil war between the Sinhala and Tamil communities began in 1983. The massacre which lasted for almost thirty years ended in 2009. Though the war ended 12 years back, we are still indulging in the memories tainted with blood and blaming each other as terrorists, extremists and separatists. What did we gain from the war? What will we gain by continuing to talk about the 30 years of bloodshed? Both communities lost innocent lives. We need to learn our lesson from the past, fix our present, so that our children will have a better tomorrow.

Unrepaired remnants of the war by means of physical, mental, economical, and social impediments still exist within and among the people. Undoubtedly more time is required to soothe the aching hearts. While the war overshadows the ill feelings of the two ethnic communities between each other, I am sure that Sri Lanka bears witness to many stories and instances where the two communities live in harmony, are friends and family with each other and have been with each other through thick and thin. The greatest heritage we inherited from our forefathers was harmony. Sri Lanka was a shining example of ethnic and religious harmony. Unfortunately, today as a nation we have failed to maintain this precious gift from our ancestors. Politicians were successful in propagating Ethnicity and Religion as the driving force of the war. Efforts are made even today to fuel hatred among communities by highlighting their differences. Our differences should be our strength.

Wars originate first in the minds of the people. A wise mind is more powerful than the weapons of war. We need to educate our children and inculcate in them the value to honour and respect human lives and uphold peace. A generation that is not gullible to fall into the traps of politics should be built. Every human being has a right to life. While no two fingers are the same, we cannot expect all human beings to be of the same colour, caste and creed. We should learn to celebrate diversity and seek unity in diversity.

It is time to build a bridge between the Tamil and Sinhalese people. Both communities should learn the Tamil and Sinhala language and I am sure as a glue that will hold these ethnic groups together.

War memorials should commemorate the lives lived by those who became victims of the war, the lessons they taught and cherish the memories they left behind. The monuments built in memoriam should be erected in a place where everyone could see and pay their respect.

I sincerely desire that all Sri Lankans live in peace and harmony with each other.

My prayer for Sri Lanka is that peace should prevail among Sri Lankans.

Rajadhani Nilayam
The Netherlands