What is needed now is to understand exactly what our national responsibility is in the face of such events. Then we will understand the deep and dark reality of this extremism and the false pretences of the real sinners who supported and cultivated it.
Editorial
During a political talk show aired on a private TV channel yesterday in Colombo, several important factors were highlighted about the Easter attacks in April 2019. Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara, two young opposition MPs, have long used parliamentary immunity to blame the current government and intelligence agencies for the attacks. However, the two ruling party MPs were able to answer questions raised face to face during the programme. As a result, the very foundations of conspiracy theories have crumbled. It is a programme that goes beyond the political drama of wasting people's time on empty words and rhetoric that are usually aired on television. The members who participated in the discussion should be commended for maintaining self-discipline.
 |
| A screengrab of the programme aired on a private TV channel in Colombo |
During the debate, the two opposition MPs acknowledged that the leaders of the previous government were responsible for the terrorist attacks carried out by Islamic fanatics that killed nearly 300 unarmed civilians. They also acknowledged that their government's indifference had given the golden opportunity to the attackers. Alas, according to one MP now they are trying to find out who took advantage of their negligence instead of answering their weaknesses.
However, the behaviour of these politicians in this conversation is a useful example for future political dialogue. Over the past period, numerous parties and social groups have tried to gain various advantages by politicizing the terrorist attacks in a vile manner. Based on an alleged statement made by the former Attorney General, a grand conspiracy was hatched around the incident. Consequently, we as a country failed to learn the basic lesson taught by those Islamic fanatics. This failure created a situation in which some of those who had direct links with the suicide bombers became innocent in the eyes of society. Instead of engineering a legal environment in which those individuals could be punished, the background was set for them to grab the sympathy they needed nationally and internationally. These wolves in sheep’s clothing are now behaving as if they were victims of so-called draconian laws. But the truth is out there.
Following the September 11 attacks by Al Qaeda on the United States of America as well as assaults by Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai, India in November 2008 respective governments were immediately directed its state apparatus to focus to understand the depth of the enemy’s ideology. And then they have implemented the requirements to prevent reoccurrence. Accordingly, they strengthened regional and global intelligence cooperation. On the other hand, the state has formulated policies to close all avenues that could feed extremism locally. Many in those countries did not use those events as tools for narrow political gain but to address the national issues.
But what happened here after the Easter attacks? What happened to the report of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security, headed by former MP Malith Jayathilake? As far as we know, former MP Jayathilake as a member of the previous government worked hard to compile the report. The report suggested a series of urgent reforms in religious, educational, and social institutes. Why don't the Opposition MPs initiate a social dialogue based on that very important report? What is the role of opposition politicians and other social groups who are passionate about the Easter attacks? Instead of trying to mislead society with conspiracy theories, it is time for them to assist in formulating a national programme to implement recommendations in the report.
The political debate that aired yesterday was an opportunity not only for those who disseminated fake news but also for those who spoke without adequate information about the attacks to rethink their approach. What is needed now is to understand exactly what our national responsibility is in the face of such events. Then we will understand the deep and dark reality of this extremism and the false pretences of the real sinners who supported and cultivated it.
Post a Comment