Dr Manoj-Sumati R. Borkar
The precision orchestrated serial blasts in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday by suicide bombers of a little known local Islamic Extremist splinter group dissociated from the militant National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ), once again brings to the fore the grave danger of terrorist brutality lurking in the tranquil civilian space occupied by peaceful citizens the world over. No country is safe and no society spared from the irrational reign of these brutes; who gather under the flag of a certain faith whose tenets do not even remotely endorse aggression on innocent civilians. These radicalised extremists in their irrational quest of supremacy and dominion; besides fanciful and fantastic lures of rewards in heaven, sacrifice their own lives besides causing agony and pain to those they kill mercilessly and their families.
The dastardly attack in Sri Lanka on 21st April took away over 350 lives of the faithful who had assembled for prayers and a celebratory Easter breakfast, cannot be justified for anything. Not to forget the hundreds of critically injured and maimed citizens and tourists, who suffered intense and irreversible physical and psychological disfigurement. The episode will leave a scar on the Sinhalese public psyche for a long time to come, and would have sown seeds of suspicion amidst the otherwise peacefully co-existing Buddhists, Christians and Muslims in this neighbouring Island country.
Clearly it is a case of failed intelligence for Lankan authorities and also complacency on part of their state actors in acting upon shared intelligence, further worsened by discord between security agencies in assessing threat perception. The investigation currently aided by reputed international investigating agencies including FBI, Scotland Yard, NIA and Interpol; all point to the Islamic State terror organization. Of course the ISIS itself in their conventional style of admitting and announcing the onus, has lauded the Fidayeens who detonated the explosives. Interestingly the local mastermind of these Sri Lankan terror attacks Moulvi Zahran Hashim is suspected to have crossed into Tamil Nadu and attempted to lure and radicalise Indian recruits. In fact, the Indian Investigating agencies had forewarned their Lankan counterparts on this likely strike, after arresting IS inspired module in Coimbatore earlier. The laxity and unresponsiveness of our neighbours to our warnings have cost them rebuke from their own polity, besides inviting an international embarrassment.
As the families of the dead grieve collectively and mass bury their dead, shocking details are emerging about the perpetrators of the terror attack. Two of the seven suicide bombers were brothers with western education, came from an affluent background and their patriarch is a successful trader with philanthropic leanings. Interestingly the wife of one of the two boys also partook in the detonation of bombs, suggesting a steel resolve of the group to carry out their unholy mission of terror and destruction. If indeed impetus was given by ISIS in this strike, it is apparent that this draconian terror entity exploits innocuous elements with innovative propaganda and recruits fighters across the world; their infamous black flags heralding death and mindless destruction.
Prima facie in this particular case of Lankan bomb blasts, there are clear traces of Jihadi Salafism ideology characterized by purposeful targeting of civilian population as a part of proportionate response to perceived Muslim oppression. Not surprising then that despite emphatic denials by New Zealand leadership, there is an emerging view in some quarters that these attacks could possibly have been in retaliation to Christchurch massacre. Of course in Sri Lanka itself, there are undercurrents about the growing influence of Muslims on country’s culture and economics. The majority Sinhalese Buddhists fear acculturation of their land by the minority, and this is further catapulted by a general global Islamophobia. Sporadic conflicts have been witnessed between the two communities in recent years. Whatever the reason, terror cannot be justified and deserves condemnation from all quarters. The world at large and Asia in particular must stand with Sri Lanka. Time is also ripe to establish a South Asian Transnational Counter-Terror Command between India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to effectively share intelligence and thwart terror attacks in future.
Eleven Indians lost their lives in Lanka. India has resolutely endured terror strikes within its political jurisdiction since long. Our country has the machinery, mechanism and the resolve to deal with these enemies of humankind; yet has practiced great restraint and composure in not giving a ‘proportionate response’ to the perpetrators and their sponsors. However, as demonstrated by recent events Indian leadership is no longer averse to a reactive or even a proactive response to deter terror.
As for Goa, our extreme and unquestionable faith on the divine intercession in protecting our little peaceful Goem is irrational and detrimental to our own safety. In this land of Shantadurga, Goencho Saib and Safa Shahouri Masjid; civil society is complacent and laid back. It is also a tourist destination and a haven for migrants from across the country seeking livelihood. Our leaders and locals only see electoral benefits and the economic opportunity in these unregulated and unverified influx of people, but not the threat perception of compromised security. The law enforcement agencies alone cannot avert a tragedy like terror, the citizens too have to be alert. After all, terrorists are not guided by reason and rationale, nor do they distinguish between the innocent and the guilty. They have just one mission and that is to kill and terrorize. The next victims could well be us !
