The conflict is behind us and today Sri Lanka wants to look forward. We lost a lot in terms of human resources, natural and other material resources. Everyone has lost – the Sinhalese, the Tamils, the Muslims. Now there is peace and we want to move on and also catch up, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada, Chithranganee Wagiswara said.

In an interview with Ottawa Citizen, the High Commissioner noted that even with decades of unrest, the economy trucked along with an average of five percent annual growth over the past 20 years. Still, there is rebuilding to do, particularly with infrastructure.

There are many positive developments in Sri Lanka, the High Commissioner said adding Tamil children are visiting the Southern part of the country and, for the first time meeting Sinhalese people.

"They are interacting," she said.

She said there are business, banks, factories, all establishing operations in the northern part of the country. "It is an integration of the two societies where, to a certain extent, there has been polarization."

At more than 100,000, Canada has the largest Sri Lankan population living outside the country, so the High Commissioner said she deals regularly with the Diaspora many of whom are Tamils.