Independence with unity

AS we mark our Independence Day once again, for many citizens this anniversary has, in recent years, become another ritual stripped of real meaning.

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Flags are raised, speeches delivered, and parades held, but beneath the ceremony lies a deep sense of disillusionment. Independence, for a nation, is not merely the absence of colonial rule but also it is the presence of dignity, equality, opportunity, and justice for all its people. On these counts, Sri Lanka continues to fall painfully short of its true potential.

Decades of corruption, economic mismanagement, and a brutal civil war have left lasting scars. Two generations were lost to violence, fear, and missed opportunity. Institutions were weakened, trust in governance eroded, and divisions hardened along ethnic, religious, and political lines. Rather than a day of celebration, Independence Day has increasingly become a moment of reflection tinged with frustration and a reminder of what could have been, and what still has not been achieved.