Triumphalism And Defeatism

Many celebrated writers flocked to Spain in 1936 to defend the Spanish Republic. Among them was the poet W.H. Auden, who served as an ambulance driver. Auden wrote ‘Spain, 1939’ as a call to arms. This is how the poem ended:

- Malinda Seneviratne

The stars are dead. The animals will not look We are left alone with our day, and the time is short, and History to the defeated May say Alas but cannot help or pardon.

It has been claimed that chancing on a copy of a book that carried this poem, Auden had highlighted in some form the last line and written a short comment, ‘this is not true.’ Flag that for now. First let me share some thoughts that were posted in social media platforms regarding the 11th anniversary of the defeat of terrorism in Sri Lanka. Here’s the first: “Our country ended; a propitious moment to leave the past behind and to unite as Sri Lankans. Instead, an orgy of triumphalist majoritarianism was unleashed and today it has been given a new lease of life. O Sri Lanka, when will you ever learn?”

Here’s the second: “It’s 11 years today, 18 May, since the war was won. But Sri Lanka is still to win the peace. Still divided on ethnic lines. Still spouting racism. The State still turning a blind eye. When will Sri Lanka stop bleeding & burning & start healing? When will Sri Lankans unite? ” And the third: “Eleven years have passed since the war ended. The Tamil question is where it was. Be a Tamil. Then you’ll see.” [translated from Sinhala].Triumphalist majoritarianism.