Winds of change are sweeping across not only the United States of America, but the world at large. There is a sense of optimism - the sun coming through the dark clouds of uncertainty, with the inauguration of a new US President Barack Hussein Obama. Yet, just this week, Britain announced that it was officially in recession.

The Rt. Hon. Lord Naseby, Privy Councillor, who was in Sri Lanka recently was to say that in his 72 years he had never experienced the UK to be going through such an economic downturn. The Mayor of London is asking foreign tourists to take advantage of the falling Pound and visit his city, and thereby prop up the beleaguered economy. Economies around the world are slowing down, which explains the drop in oil prices. The world was clearly moving too fast, overheating itself, both economically and environmentally.

President B.H. Obama's entry into the world scene has given some hope. His climb to the top of the greasy pole of US politics has been an inspiring one. While his deeds must surely match up to his words and symbolism transform into substance, one can only pray the young leader is equal to the task.

History is replete with occasions when leaders emerged to guide their people from the depths of despair to the heights of achievement, from bad times to good. They have stood up and been counted. In contemporary history, Winston Churchill's name stands out as a man who turned the tide of Fascist tyranny that was enveloping the world at the time, back to a free world. Despite his pugnacious attitude towards giving freedom to the colonies of Great Britain (which included Sri Lanka), he believed in the democratic way of life.

Even during the height of World War II, and despite the bi-partisan war cabinet he had, there was open debate in the House of Commons. MPs criticized Mr. Churchill on the conduct of the war and he had to defend his actions. Ultimately, the House supported his actions and backed him in the country's joint war against terror, but not without debate and discussion. When after winning the war for Britain and its Allies, Mr. Churchill's government was defeated at the hustings, he spoke of democracy as the eventual winner of a free people. His legacy, therefore has found a permanent place -- both as a hugely successful military leader and a monumental political leader not only in the land of his birth, but throughout the world.
President Obama has set about his task of change and reform knowing only too well how America is hated or at the least despised in many parts of the world. Trying to impose its geo-political will by bullying others into submission is only temporary victory. In almost all their foreign military incursions, from Vietnam to Iraq, the repercussions of this American attitude seem to have dawned on the majority of the American public. Winds of change - and hope, have also begun to sweep across the beaches, hills and valleys of Sri Lanka.

Twenty five years of what was by all accounts a 'civil war', though plainly a separatist insurgency appears to be nearing its end. There is light at the end of the tunnel as a bloody and costly insurgency is to be quelled, though the hard work of rebuilding is yet to begin. The Armed Forces are moving into the LTTE's last bastion - Mullaitivu, which the terrorist organization claimed more than ten years ago by killing over 1,200 soldiers.

But the gloss of the Armed Forces victories is being taken off by some brazen attacks on media institutions and media personnel. These have left a bitter aftertaste about the way in which this Government is approaching public affairs in this country. On Friday, a senior editor was set upon and attacked - an act which the Editors' Guild says has the hallmarks of the manner in which another editor was murdered a fortnight ago. The Guild asks the pertinent question as to whether Sri Lanka has seen the end of free expression - one of the cornerstones of a democratic nation.

This assault on free expression and free media, and a concerted, almost synchronized effort to silence dissent and cover-up the offenders has seen a whole host of media practitioners flee the country. This might very well fit into the plans of some, but has the Government taken stock of the long-term effects of this course of action? That the Government and the Security Forces are doing splendidly on the battlefield despite the perceived odds at one stage with foreign Governments that were once pessimistic now saying not to negotiate with the LTTE must surely be heady stuff.

But this should not blur the vision of the overall picture. Exterminating terrorism in one field and introducing terrorism in another is not what is expected from a democratically-elected Government that must be committed to democracy whatever the nuisance value.

Institutions were created to ensure impartiality and stability to the nation. On the eve of this country's sixty-first anniversary of regaining its independence from nearly 400 years of foreign rule, it is time for the Government to reflect upon the values that the people yearned for back in 1948.