Goodbye Sri Lanka

I fly to London today. In two weeks I'll be in Afghanistan.

It has been yet another unique experience in my life.

I had lived and worked in several war-torn countries before and once had to evacuate from the beginning of a war but this is the first (and I won't mind if it is the last) time I've lived in a country that is at war. Most depressingly, Sri Lanka is at war with itself and Sri Lankans are being lead to hate and to kill each other.

This is arguably over in Eastern Sri Lanka where I lived and where the displaced are returning home (to very serious protection issues) but it goes on in much of the rest of the country and even - or especially - where the government has 'cleared' the area the healing does not seem to have begun.

I am leaving early for two reasons. At best I think our work is less necessary than the work I have done and hope to do elsewhere. It is needed but the quality of life, even for the war displaced, is better than most Liberians, for instance, can dream of. I think there is a trap of perpetuating work without justifying it and we may not have escaped that trap.

At worst, I fear our work is perpetuating the killing in Sri Lanka by endorsing and bandaging it. NGOs are distrusted by the government but they are tolerated because they do this.

I am going back to Afghanistan where I more or less trust the government and where I believe my efforts will help for good. That was how I felt in Liberia. It isn't here and it wouldn't have been in Pakistan, where I considered accepting an offer.

Sri Lanka has a lot of beauty and although I've found people in most countries to be friendly Sri Lankans are the friendliest of all. Everyone I waved to waved back. This was true of soldiers, paramilitaries, parents and children. I never saw a stony stare.

My Sri Lankan colleagues were the cleverest, hardest working and most trustworthy I've worked with. Just as importantly, Sri Lankans work for their communities. We trained many many people on their weekends. We supported many many volunteers who are helping their fellow displaced people or strangers.

My next post will probably be from Kabul.