u/Background_Injury256

Yes, the war ended and peace was restored to the country, and for that many are grateful. Many brave members of the armed forces sacrificed their lives so that future generations could live without fear, and that sacrifice should never be forgotten.

But as someone who spent nearly three decades in Sri Lanka, with much of my life shaped by the war years, I cannot ignore the pain and darker realities that many innocent people also endured. I witnessed fear, suffering, and behaviour from some personnel that still deeply unsettles me to this day. Because of that, it is difficult for me to simply celebrate everyone as “war heroes” without also acknowledging the innocent civilians who suffered, women that were raped, the families who lost loved ones, and the wrongs that should never have happened. War crimes, regardless of who commits them, can never be justified. You would only realise if it happened an innocent souls you knew.

My feelings about this come from a place of sadness more than anger....... sadness for a country that went through so much pain, and for generations whose lives were shaped by violence and division and it is sad to see many of the younger generation from all communities are spreading hatred these days and one community's mourning (not celebrating) for the lives they lost is being made fun of. True healing for Sri Lanka will only come when all communities, regardless of ethnicity, recognize each other’s suffering and move forward through genuine reconciliation.

Sri Lanka has incredible potential and the growth of the nation was deterred by the civil war. Once, countries like Singapore looked at Sri Lanka with admiration. Today, perhaps we can learn from them about how to build a nation where people of all ethnicities feel equally respected, safe, and united. That, to me, would be the greatest way to honour everyone who suffered and sacrificed.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. In Sri Lanka, the white uniform was meant to promote equality among students, regardless of background. But in reality, I’ve come across many situations where people are judged or treated differently based on the school they attended.

This happens in workplaces, social circles, and even when it comes to relationships. What’s more concerning is that even young kids seem to pick up on this and sometimes make fun of others from less popular or under resourced schools.

Why are we so attached to school identity? In many other countries with free public education, schools tend to have more consistent standards and people don’t focus as much on which school someone went to. Instead, things like skills, character, or higher education seem to matter more.

So it makes me wonder if we are missing the whole point of having a uniform system that was meant to create equality? Would be interested to hear other's thoughts on this.