Colombo's victory over the Tamils shows India's power on the wane.

Four months after crushing the Tamil Tigers, the Sri Lankan government is still unable to define peace, even as it has embarked on the further expansion of an already-large military.

If Sri Lanka is to become a tropical paradise again, it must build enduring peace. This will only occur through genuine interethnic equality, and a transition from being a unitary state to being a federation that grants provincial and local autonomy.

Sri Lanka, the once self-trumpeted "island of paradise," turned into the island of bloodshed more than a quarter-century ago. But even by its long, gory record, the bloodletting since last year is unprecedented.