Financial Times

Wise Old Owl
The day Mother Lanka wept for wasted people’s power
Pieta, meaning pity, compassion, and sorrow, is strongly associated with Michael Angelo's works of art portraying Mother Mary weeping over the lifeless body of her son Jesus. This highly symbolic work of art can be aptly related to mother Lanka weeping over the wasted display of people power at the recently celebrated Ahimsa day in Colombo.

People power was demonstrated through a massive gathering for a truly worthy cause on September 21 - World Peace Day. It was incredible to witness thousands of men, women and children seated on the lawn of the BMICH, dressed symbolically in white and displaying solid commitment to uphold the values of peace, tranquility, compassion and non -violence.

Mother Lanka first wept tears of joy seeing the masses undeterred by the rain demonstrating their commitment. They responded positively to the appeal by Dr A.T. Ariyaratne to meditate while imagining that it was only the spray from the fountains of BMICH that was falling on them. A fine example of leadership was displayed by the entire Sarvodaya team who stood in the rain themselves and encouraged the people to brave the downpour. The people's positive response appeared to be miraculous. Mother Lanka wept more in joy seeing the power of committed people displayed by her sons and daughters and the exemplary leadership action.

As planned, the community gathered at the BMICH was looking forward to an opportunity to further express their sentiments through meditation, song and verse. However, nearly two hours passed with the delivery of innumerable and lengthy speeches which were sometimes egoistic or too highbrow for the target audience.

The presence of the international community, religious dignitaries, artistes and intellectuals was an added bonus to these pirates of time. Unfortunately, TV cameras focused mainly on the distinguished invitees and not on the people who stoically braved the torrential rains. It was evident that the dignitaries had hijacked the event to target the UN sessions in New York and win brownie points in Sri Lanka. Dark clouds engulfed and thunder roared as Mother Lanka wept, this time in pity and sorrow for the wasted people power.

Mother Lanka must have moaned- "Oh why are you, the nation’s, leaders and politicians so self centered and uncaring for the committed civil society? Why is the business community conspicuously absent despite being the ones who benefit most from peace and non-violence? Where are those business leaders who put Sri Lanka First and for that purpose travelled all over the world to see the way forward for peace? Why were the Colombo elite, who did not connect with this day and event, cursing the organizers for the inconveniences on the road? Why is there such a low commitment from the media to people power, peace and non-violence? Why do the Editors of newspapers give so much coverage for violence and so little for Ahimsa? When will the international community open their eyes to the power of the people and the need to invest in them directly rather than through corrupt and inefficient politicians and governments as well as selfish business leaders?

Since that fateful day, Mother Lanka weeps on, for most of its leaders, whether they are political, business, religious, civil, or media have failed to comprehend the real value of the power of the people. It is sad that these leaders have not come forward to hail, support and leverage the power of the people to deliver peace and prosperity.

Only the grateful organizers of Ahimsa recognized the people power through a paid advertisement titled "You are Truly Blessed" which read- "those of you who have spent days in anticipation, risen before dawn breaks and gathered your children around you, prepared and packed your day's traditional meal to take with you and travelled many a mile to come to the Ahimsa Samadhi are true source of inspiration and pride to all of us.

May those of you who came to dispel the darkness of Himsa and rekindle the flame of ahimsa, braving the torrential down pour be blessed with good health and long life as will be, each and every living soul on this planet". Awaken all committed leaders to seek and support true people power for peace and non- violence, "Mother Lanka beckons you before it is too late".

The writer is a a business leader who advocates change management for growth, social entrepreneurship for stability and new leadership paradigms for sustainability.

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