25 years after Black July, the term “National Security” is used to thwart lot of things. V from the movie ‘V for Vendetta’ said “I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of the everyday routine, the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition”.

At least he had that. We don’t.

We can’t nikang sit, walk around at night, carry our CDMA phones, visit TamilNet, buy remote controlled toys, visit Galle Face Greens, nikang stand, wear full-face helmets, fix crash-guards to our SUVs, take photos, talk about cessation of violence and a host of other things because they might supposedly impede upon the national security and the sovereignty of the country.

The country the (proud) Sinhalese stole from the native tribes. The supposed “our” country.

Unlike V, we have to suffer road closures, road blocks, naggy and rude cops, frustrating bodyguards, numerous checkpoints, humiliating body searches, annoying experiences of trying to explain to retarded policemen why the light on your notebook glows when it’s on standby and that your 70-200 is not a bomb or some other worldly device but a mere accessory to your camera because you want a fast lens for portraiture.

Someone once said that a Government is nothing but a mere board of directors that the shareholders appoint to run this country. Thinking in the same lines, we’re putting up with too much.

Maybe we should change the management no?

• Present situation in Jaffna: A video interview in English and Sinhala
• The Terrorist Complex
• “Some people were shot while going to see their houses on the road like dogs”
• Stanley Rd Closure Affects Traders In Jaffna
• Update From Trinco