AS WE approach Christmas and the first anniversary of the tsunami, the people of Sri Lanka wait with longing for the star of hope.

Despite the promises and in spite of several commendable efforts, many still languish in tsunami camps. In one large camp in the east, the intervention of different militant groups vying for dominance, and the consequent “round-up” by the military, has created a fear psychosis. “We have had enough. We prefer to return to our village to face the risk of another tsunami,” stated one old man with impressive dignity. Just as attempts were being made to invite the media and human rights groups to address these happenings, torrential rains and flash floods swept the region, displacing an already twicedisplaced community.

The situation in the Sinhala areas is a mix of hopelessness, anger and deprivation. Those affected by the tsunami wait with great expectation for rehabilitation that will bring a return to normality. “A sense of futility and inactivity is creeping in,” said one mother. “Our youth in particular, who earlier did something to earn a living, are now waiting for promises to be fulfilled.”

In areas not affected by the tsunami, 40 per cent of the people battle with poverty and live in the hope that a changed political leadership will bring economic subsidy in farming and basic human needs. “Our road has not been repaired for decades, and schoolchildren and farmers are tremendously inconvenienced. We have to carry the sick on poles to reach a hospital,” a village leader said.

In the Tamil north, parts of which were also affected by the tsunami, the ceasefire, which brought some calm and stability, is proving fragile. Elsewhere, in the central plantation districts, the Tamil community of recent Indian origin, perhaps the most deprived community in the country, struggles between aid that bypasses them in favour of tsunami-affected areas, and continuing historical deprivation. “We, too, need to be hit by a tsunami, and some of us will have to die for others to receive economic justice,” a leader said.

The impact of these events can spiral overnight into a culture of acute antagonism, alienation and anxiety. Fears of indiscriminate bomb blasts prevail. Search operations and checkpoints are meant to ensure public security but in fact spread tension. “In hospital I may be a respected doctor, but at the checkpoint I am a frightened Tamil,” said one distinguished professional.

The question of war versus compromise and negotiations was again raised in the run-up to the presidential election. Post-election initiatives and signals by Mahinda Rajapakse, the new President, indicate a preference for the latter.

What is the significance of the birth of Christ in the prevailing animosity, alienation and anxiety that Sri Lankans suffer?

Christmas is about God’s initiative in entering human history as a human. The incarnation, or the mystery of the Divine taking on human nature, is not just a lesson in God’s humility or a promise that He will be with us after the time of His birth. It is a profound assurance that God’s presence among humans has been from the beginning and will continue till the end. The incarnation is historical in that it is pivotal for past, present and future. This means that all human history and culture has been touched by the Divine and is sacred. No human ought to be despised, violated, exploited or excluded.

Consequently Sri Lankans are called to affirm, and indeed celebrate, each other’s ethnicity, history, culture, identity and humanity.

For this to happen, some must deliberately move beyond sectarianism to stand in the middle as Christ did, and recognise, understand and enter the fears, frailty and aspirations of the other. This must be done with respect.

To stand in the middle also requires us to engage in self-scrutiny. After some Sinhala and Tamil Christians lived with each other during a diocesan event two years ago, they went away surprised at their common humanity, less arrogant about their own perceived ethnic superiority.

It is from this common stance that the total inadequacy of war, violence and intimidation as methods for settling disputes is perceived. Decades of conflict, estrangement and animosity have taught us that you cannot expect to destroy the other without destroying all. Lasting peace comes when enemies meet and talk differences, forgive each other and become sisters and brothers. There is no better option for those who want peace.

The message of Christmas offers a vision of hope for Sri Lanka. Hope takes on meaning in desperation. It is in desperation that the present anticipates a changed future. It is in desperation that grace abounds and points to the possibility of transformation. It is in desperation that Christmas invites us to co-operate with God who, in Christ, is reconciling God’s world.

The Right Rev Duleep de Chickera is the Bishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka