Rising sons: Namal Rajapaksa, Sajith Premadasa and the Opposition project

"...But, if our government changes in the next five years while we are in the process of making this change, then everything we started would be ruined. The next group would do something different. That is why we think that if a government can stay in power for 15, 20 or 25 years. Only then would it be able to take the country forward under one vision, one policy framework." - Tilvin Silva, General Secretary, JVP

- By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

Lakshman Kadirgamar as archetype

LAKSHMAN Kadirgamar was assassinated by a Tiger sniper 20 years ago this week. He epitomised an enlightened way of being Sri Lankan, and positioning and representing Sri Lanka in the world.

To borrow terminology that emerged during JFK's presidency and the Cuban Missile Crisis, one way of being is as a dove. A Sri Lankan dove was for federalism and endless, repeated appeasement of Prabhakaran in the absurd hope of peace, despite the evidence to the contrary.

The other way of being Sri Lankan is as a hawk.

A hawk was for war with the LTTE and against devolution/autonomy, i.e. power-sharing with the Tamils.

The third way of being Sri Lankan is as an owl.

An owl was for devolution to resolve the political problem with the Tamils, combined with steely military resolve against secession, and vigilant defense of Sri Lanka's sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity. Lakshman Kadirgamar was an owl.

As for Sri Lanka's ways of being in the world, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mangala Samaraweera represented one way, that of servile capitulationism exemplified in the co-sponsored Geneva Resolution of 2015. (Even in retirement, the dissentient Ambassador at the time hasn't told the story of this dangerous betrayal).

Gotabaya Rajapaksa (and earlier, Sajin Vass Gunawardena) represented another way: mulish claims of 'zero civilian casualties', cultural exceptionalism and civilisational superiority, incurring serial defeats in the UNHRC, losing many friends in the Global South and squandering our May 2009 diplomatic victory in Geneva.

Kadirgamar's firm opposition to the PTOMS sellout to Prabhakaran (frozen by the Supreme Court, shunned by the USA), negotiated and advocated by a leading light in Sri Lankan diplomacy, revealed antinomian archetypes, schools of thought and diplomatic traditions.