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We
need peace not division The injuries he sustained in the attack led to the amputation of most of his leg. But his tale is just one among many, from the districts of Kegalle and Ratnapura, where thousands of young men and women joined the military during the past 20 years. Most of the families had to face the tragedy of losing their loved ones in battle or having them come home with harrowing disabilities. Lasantha considers himself lucky compared to some of his colleagues, many of whom lost their lives in battle. He feels that the absence of war in the past two years, has been a blessing. "I don't want anyone else to suffer the way I have," says Lasantha whose disability hasn't stopped him from being a three-wheel driver. When asked whether he feels betrayed by the peace process, which some feel has made too many concessions to the LTTE, Lasantha says, "We need to settle this problem without dividing the country. But we need peace as well." Lasantha's younger brother too is in the special forces of the army and he says unlike in the past, his parents can sleep in peace without worrying each day whether their son would come home alive or dead. "We need peace and it is more important than party politics. I am a supporter of the Freedom Alliance but no one wants to return to war. Everybody has paid a high price because of the war and we need to settle matters through negotiations," Lasantha says. |
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