India, June 22 -- Sixteen years ago, Sri Lanka emerged from one of the bloodiest civil conflicts in modern Asia. The military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended a nearly three-decade war that cost tens of thousands of lives, displaced entire communities, and left deep scars on the national psyche.

For many Sri Lankans, the end of the LTTE marks the return of peace. For others, it revives unresolved grief. But as a nation, it is time to move beyond both triumphalism and bitterness. Reconciliation - genuine, inclusive, and forward-looking - is the only viable path.

The LTTE was one of the most ruthless terrorist organisations of its time. It pioneered suicide bombings, forcibly conscripted children, and assassinat...