Sri Lanka: A Special Place, A Special People

Talking Points for an Address Delivered by

the Hon David Kilgour, Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

on the Occasion of the 53rd Sri Lankan National Day

February 4th, 2003, Delta Hotel,

Ottawa

*Check against delivery

In the little more than a year that I have served as Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific), I have had the privilege of visiting many countries. They all, of course, have their own unique and endearing charms. I hope, therefore, that I give no offence to our distinguished guests from elsewhere in Asia-Pacific when I reveal to you that Sri Lanka will always hold a special place in my heart. Apart from its captivating landscapes and enchanting people, Sri Lanka was the first country I visited after taking up my new portfolio.

We are here today to celebrate Sri Lanka and the diverse peoples who call that “Resplendent Isle” their homeland. I dare say that we have more to celebrate today than has been the case for almost a generation. I refer, of course, to the peace process which has taken root over the past year, and the promise it holds for a permanent settlement to a conflict which has caused too much pain, for too many people, for far too long.

A Time of Hope and Fear

In Sri Lanka last spring, I was privileged to meet not just key decision makers in Colombo, but also many other Sri Lankans -- Singhalese, Tamils, and Muslims – both in the capital and in the villages and market places of the conflict area. These meetings gave me a chance to hear, first-hand, their hopes and fears for the future – hope for a peaceful future, and fear of the changes they know must inevitably accompany any future peace. These meetings underscored to me how complex the issues involved in the on-going peace process are, and how rocky the road to a negotiated, permanent solution will be. But history teaches us that peace, although a difficult commodity to achieve, is well-worth the efforts involved.

L’automne dernier, j’ai eu la chance de participer à un volet important de la série complexe de réunions et d’activités qui constituent le processus de paix au Sri Lanka. Le 25 novembre, j’ai eu le privilège de diriger la délégation canadienne au Forum des donateurs internationaux, qui a été tenu à Oslo pour appuyer le processus de paix Sri-lankais. Ce fut là un événement vraiment historique, qui pourrait changer le cours de l’histoire pour des millions de personnes, à la fois au Sri Lanka et partout dans le monde – y compris les quelque 200 000 résidents du Canada originaires de l’île de Serendib.

A year ago, who would have thought that Ministers from the Government of Sri Lanka and representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam would be sitting together, in conjunction with key members of the international community, and under the spotlight of the world’s media, working side-by-side to achieve peace?

The Rocky Road to Peace: Compromise is Essential

Despite the incredible events of the last 12 months, and the hopes for peace which they justifiably engendered, let us not delude ourselves into a false sense of complacency. Although the accomplishments of the last year are well-deserving of praise, the peace process still has a long way to go, and many difficult issues to address, before a true and lasting peace is at hand.

A successful resolution to the conflict will require all parties to make difficult compromises on fundamental matters which, until very recently, many considered to be non-negotiable. Many of you may not know that fellow Canadians are now playing a role in the monthly rounds of peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. These Canadians have been invited to share with the parties the lessons and insights Canadians have derived from over 135 years of governing the multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious federation which Canada has become. I am referring, of course, to the role which Canada’s own Forum of Federations has been invited to play at the formal peace talks, and the support they are receiving from the Federal government to do so.

When one looks back on those few instances of Canadian history when our federation was at risk, it was because a spirit of compromise – and all that it entails – was momentarily absent from our national psyche. That is what I consider to be the true lesson of Canadian political history, and, I believe, the true challenge which lies ahead for Sri Lanka’s peacemakers.

History teaches us that peace-making will not end with the conclusion of the formal peace talks. In fact, in many ways, it will just be beginning. The trick to successfully dealing with new challenges is to build an unfettered spirit of compromise into the psyche of all Sri Lankans, so that inter-religious, inter-linguistic, and inter-ethnic compromise becomes second nature.

On that note, Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me, on behalf of all Canadians to extend best wishes to all Sri Lankans for a happy National Day, as well as a peaceful and prosperous future. Je peux vous assurer que tous les Sri Lankais ont dans le Canada un ami fidèle, sur lequel ils pourront continuer de compter dans l’avenir.

Merci beaucoup.