Ensuring security in the region

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

New Delhi was embroiled in terror with the bomb explosion at the High Court that took 11 lives and injured over 60 people early this week. The attack, which took place in broad daylight at the heart of the capital’s administrative complex, was the sixth serious terrorist attack that occurred since November 2008. Terrorists attempted to bomb the same High Court four months ago. From Assam to Mumbai, the fear of deadly bomb explosions have put innocent civilian lives into unexpected danger.

An Islamist militant group called Harakat ul-Jihad Islami, which has its roots in the Mujahedeen war against Soviet troops in Afghanistan in the 1980s, had claimed responsibility for the bomb attack, and pose a threat to the regional security.

Indian Primer Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was on a visit to Bangladesh condemning the attack said, “This is a cowardly act. We will deal with it. We will not succumb to pressure of terrorism.” He added, “This is a long war in which all political parties, all people of India should stand united so that the scourge of terrorism is crushed.”

Sri Lanka, was the first to condemn the New Delhi attack. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose political leadership and command resulted in the annihilation of one of the world’s ruthless terrorists - the LTTE- was among the first to condemn and respond to Singh’s clarion call to unite to crush terrorism. The President in his statement had announced that Sri Lanka was always there with its closest friend in fighting to destroy the scourge of terrorism.

Writing to the Indian Prime Minister soon after the deadly bomb blast, President Rajapaksa condemning the attack said Sri Lanka would continue to be an active partner in working towards combating violent extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and safeguarding the security of the peace-loving people of our region.

“The Government and the people of Sri Lanka join me in condemning in the strongest terms, the terrorist attack this morning, outside the Delhi High Court. We stand in solidarity with the Government and the people of India. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were wounded and with the victims and their families”, he stated.

Terrorism can be defeated

Just a few days after the bomb blast The Express Tribune of Pakistan in its comment states that the lesson that one learns from Sri Lanka, is that ‘terrorism can be defeated’.

Following are excerpts”

“It took almost 30 years for the Sri Lankan government to defeat terrorism on the island. And a man with the determination and common sense of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to do the job. Today, as the island starts to reap the dividends of peace, one asks what Pakistan can learn from this experience.”

In 2005, when Rajapaksa was elected to power, he came with a single agenda – to defeat the forces of the LTTE – the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam. Till then, the Tigers seemed invincible. The island was wracked with attacks – bomb blasts, suicide attacks and guerrilla tactics that left the Lankan army and the government only reacting – much like what Pakistan is going through.

The LTTE was backed by India and in one instance when the Sri Lankan army actually cornered its leader, Prabhakaran, senior Lankan officials say India actually threatened to bomb the island. But all this was about to change.

Soon after coming to power, Mahinda Rajapaksa – an elected president and man of the people – took a number of steps which can now be cited as leading to the success of the island nation against terrorists.

First of all, he sought a broad consensus and the stamp of approval from all political parties – opposition MPs as well as minority communities like the Muslims. He got a national backing to take on the LTTE. The lesson that one learns from Sri Lanka, say diplomats here, is that it can be done. Pakistan High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Seema Ilahi Baloch, says that Rajapaksa’s popularity has soared ever since the war ended. “He is a man of the people and one can see it in how he interacts,” she says.

One can only wonder when such leadership will rise in Pakistan to challenge problems head on instead of letting extremism and terrorism fester and raise their head repeatedly because of a government that can’t get its act together”, the comment states.

Tamil Leaders

The ‘grease devil’ saga, which was bloated up out of proportion, especially in the North and East, made the President to call a meeting with the Tamil political party leaders at the Temple Trees.President Rajapaksa met six parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTTE) to discuss an end to ‘grease devils’. He said Tamils were the worst affected by the thirty year armed conflict.

“The rich Tamil culture and traditions had been destroyed, and what is needed now is to ensure that the Tamils were given the opportunity to have a new beginning to restore their culture and live according to their cherished values.

The Government would take every measure to see that unity was built, he said, urging Tamil political parties to join the effort to help the Tamil people and the country.

President Rajapaksa explained to the delegation that no ‘grease devils’ incidents were reported during the past 45 days and that the saga was a fabrication.

It was agreed to set up committees comprising public officials, law enforcement officers, community and religious leaders and political party representatives to address the situation and bring back normalcy and maintain law and order.

Attitudinal change

The President advised Ministers and officers to take measures to prepare an education system that addresses the needs and demands of the present job market, when he met the Ministers and officers of the Ministries - Higher Education, Youth Affairs and Skills Development, Scientific Affairs, and Sports at Temple Trees.

He said due to the dearth of relevant knowledge and skills required in certain fields, school leavers and graduates lose job opportunities. It was important to revise the existing education system in line with the requirements of the job market.

Emphasising the need for an attitudinal change with regard to vocational and technical education, he said all relevant bodies including schools, universities and vocational training institutes should come together to prepare an education system that suits the contemporary world.

Sports far North and South

Addressing the 37th National Sports Festival at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Sports Complex in Diyagama, Homagama President Rajapaksa said seeing children from the North and East taking part in events in the south was a triumph in itself.

“For several decades, only one section of this country could participate in these events. Many youth in the Northern and Eastern regions could not attend it. But today, seeing these children is a triumph. We all know that our country is progressing in many areas.

We are taking measures to strengthen our country economically, we need to create a conducive atmosphere to achieve success in sports”, he said adding that the Mahinda Chinthana manifesto identifies psychological development and cooperation as interconnected with sports.

“In it, we said, development of sports is an investment, indispensable for the future existence of society. Therefore, we promised to strengthen sports to enable it to contribute to personal development,” the President said explaining the measures taken by the Government for the progress of sports in the country through many massive projects.

“Skilled sportsmen in our villages and country need to be identified. Sports clubs should take steps to bring them forward and protect their talent. We have proved to the world that there is nothing impossible. We must be proud of our motherland. We have been able to bring peace, freedom, and development. You should bring victory to the motherland through sports. For that, the National Sports Festival is a great opportunity,” President Rajapaksa said.