The Ceylon News

I have a dream that one day this proud island nation will rise up and live
out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the streets of Hambantota and Mullaitivu,
the sons of Tamils and Sinhalese will be able to sit down freely together
at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the towns of Tissamaharama and Jaffna,
towns now sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat
of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my children will one day live in this “paradise” nation
where they will not be judged by the language of their choosing or their
ethnicity but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in the South and up in the North, with
its previous racists, with its local leaders having their lips dripping
with words of themala and Sinhalayaâ -- one day right there in these many
towns, little Tamil boys and Tamil girls will be able to join hands with
little Sinhalese boys and Sinhalese girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill
and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and
the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of God shall be
revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I return to this island with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a
stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling
discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this
faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle
together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing
that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children
will sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet island of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of our forefathers’ pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if Sri Lanka is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of Kandy.
Let freedom ring from the fertile plains in Jaffna.
Let freedom ring from the lovely beaches of Trincomalee.
Let freedom ring from the beautiful landscapes of Nuwara-Eliya.
Let freedom ring from the lagoons in Batticaloa
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from the skyscrapers in Colombo.
Let freedom ring from humble homes in Vavuniya.
Let freedom ring from every hill and anthill of Ratnapura.
From every village, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring
from every village and every hamlet, from every town and every city, we
will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, Sinhalese,
Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, Malays, will be able to join hands and sing in
the words of the old spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

LIKE WE WERE WHEN WE WERE KIDS IN SUNNY LANKA