Sunday Observer Online
http://www.liyathabara.com/    

Home

Sunday, 21 April 2013

Untitled-1

observer
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

A dastardly act

Last week’s horrendous bomb attack at the Boston Marathon again highlighted the brutality of terrorism. While there is still no clear idea as to who did it and why, one thing is crystal clear - it is a dastardly act of terrorism. There are those who classify acts of terrorism as domestic and international, but it is the same regardless of where it happens.

Civilian lives do not matter to terrorists. This is not first time that sporting events and personalities have been targeted by terrorists. The first such act was the killing of 11 Israeli sportsmen at the 1972 Munich Olympics by the Black September group. Since then, there have been many attempts (some of which were successful) to kill sports people and civilians at sporting events and venues.

Even for Sri Lankans, who had been used to the cruelty of terrorism over the years, two such events were particularly horrific. One of them also involved a marathon. On April 9, 2008 a suspected LTTE suicide bomber detonated a device at the start of a marathon. Highways Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, former Olympic marathon runner K.A. Karunaratne and national athletics coach, Lakshman de Alwis, were among those killed.

The second incident occurred just one year later. Gunmen attacked the bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan on March 9, 2009.

Although no fatalities were reported from the Sri Lankan camp, several Pakistani policemen guarding the bus were killed.

In an eerily similar event one year later, assistant coach Abalo Amelete and communications director Stanislas Ocloo of the Togo soccer team were killed when gunmen fired on the team's bus in Angola, site of the African Cup of Nations soccer tournament. The Angolan driver was also killed and nine members of Togo's party were wounded including Togo's reserve goalkeeper. These three events (and now the Boston bombing) stand out as the most brutal recent attacks aimed at sports people.

Sporting events are not the only events targeted by terror groups. Theatres, schools and many other places where people gather have been targeted over the years. However, today’s high-profile sports events have become a magnet for terror groups seeking death and destruction.

High security

This has turned sporting events into high-security affairs, with most countries now providing Head of State level security to visiting sports personalities and teams. The four biggest sporting events on the plant - Olympics, Soccer World Cup, Cricket World Cup and Rugby World Cup have become security nightmares for the organising countries.

The estimated security bill for the London Olympics 2012 was a staggering one billion Sterling Pounds (more than Rs.200 billion). The upcoming Soccer World Cup (2014) and Olympics (2016), both to be held in Brazil, are likely to see similarly huge security bills.

Spectators are likely to be inconvenienced by the stringent security measures and regulations that include frisking, but we can hardly find a less painful alternative. Security comes at a price - some of which can include civil liberties that we usually take for granted. We do not expect to be frisked at a sporting event, but sometimes it could be necessary.

Organisers are also not leaving out extreme forms of terrorism a la 9/11, where an airliner or missile could be used to crash into a densely packed stadium. In fact, the FIFA had taken up this scenario long before the 9/11 attacks.

How can Governments and sports events organisers react to this situation? First, eternal vigilance is essential. We tend to lower our guard when the initial pain of a terror attack wanes. Most terrorist groups use this breather to stage even more daring attacks. Thus, there really is no alternative to keeping an eye on any terror cells and the physical location of the sporting event itself.

Second, high security is a must. It may not always be 100 percent perfect, (an imposter managed to walk with the Indian team during the London Olympics), but a visible level of security with passive and active components can always deter would-be attackers.

Local organisers must always work closely with security experts from the global body (ex ICC, FIFA) and local law enforcement authorities when selecting grounds, itineraries, transport and accommodation options and security options.

All sportsmen and women must be given a full security briefing as demanded by the venue and the sporting event(s).

Third, the public must be made aware of the security factors and costs involved in organising sports events here and abroad.

If they realise the enormous difficulties faced by sports events organisers in the face of global terrorism, they will be more amenable to extra security measures. They will also be encouraged to look for any suspicious objects or persons once they reach the stadium or venue and inform the Police at once. Early action has prevented many tragedies at many places around the world.

Memories

Sport is generally a way to have a good time at the ground, catch up with your friends and relax for a while. They say that there’s no sport without players and now, there is no sport without spectators too.

What if everyone watched games on TV without going there in person? Sports events would be very dull indeed. Terrorists want governments to bow down in submission and cancel sporting and other events. That would be a big victory for these groups.

On the other hand, if these events are held as planned, with due security measures in place and people gather in their thousands to cheer on their favourites, a strong signal is sent to the terrorists that sheer terror cannot win in the end.

We have left the dark memories of terrorism behind. However, as the Boston bombings show, terrorism thrives elsewhere in the world. An act of terror anywhere in the world is an affront to all civilised countries.

As Sri Lanka and other nations stand in solidarity with the American leaders and people at this hour of grief, the international community should resolve to end the menace of terrorism without delay.

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

www.news.lk
www.defence.lk
Donate Now | defence.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL)
www.army.lk
 

| News | Editorial | Finance | Features | Political | Security | Sports | Spectrum | Montage | Impact | World | Obituaries | Junior | Youth |

 
 

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2013 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor