What a large and dramatic idea occurred to the brigadier in charge
of rehabilitation , to organize a mass wedding to spur former Tiger
troops into formation under a different philosophy and yet appeal
to their strengths to cohere as a group not any longer in waging war
against the State but to reveal their common humanity to agree
to a public celebration of private bonds, to ensure their co-habiting
led to proper inheritance for children, access to social welfare
payments when necessary, all to the good for these members
of a herd, now in white vershtis and magenta sarees eating cake
and chatting with relatives witnessed by the Bollywood actor
Vivek Oberoi, no less, before returning to detention camps,
now two by two, respectable members of the new unitary ark,
where domestic animals gather obediently while the brigadier
sheds a tear; he told the press, he was nervous, even more so
than before his own wedding, which did not take place thankfully
under public glare and was not diminished by the splendour
of mass marriage like mass production of poultry, efficiencies
of scale, government desire to move rehabilitation forward
in one swoop, a sort of dog training in a large group; anybody
realize that marriage among truly reborn takes place between
two people and the witnesses are God and invited guests? Here,
some exceptions were made to the usual practice, no consultation
with bride or groom, whether the actor was indeed an honoured
guest, or if the brigadier should cry like a mother, or if even
53 couples minded seeing their knots tied in the presence
of each other, or have Reverend Moon and other enlightened
priests of mass marriage, become advisers to Sri Lankan
military, spiritual guides to its standard operating procedure?
442 have read this this article so far. You may also find these articles interesting:
- Mass Graves: Nothing new to Sri Lanka The recent discovery of mass graves at Ganeshapuram in Kilinochchi and at Nachchikuda in the Mannar Districts has been very much in the news during the past weeks. Such finds need not surprise anyone. Following an analysis of satellite images taken during the height of the war, the American Association for the Advancement of Science ... MCM Iqbal, June 7, 2010
- Reflections One Year On: The Commission of Inquiry and the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons Introduction It is more than one year since the appointment of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI). The warrant for the CoI dates to 3 November 2006. The updated TOR for the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) dates to 12th January 2007. On 13 November the CoI and IIGEP were informed of their mandate being... Groundviews, November 15, 2007
