'Golden opportunity to restore and re-create Sri Lankan identity' - Prof. Rohan Gunaratne

By Manjula Fernando

International Terrorism Expert and Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Prof.Rohan Gunaratne in an interview with the Sunday Observer says Sri Lankan government should upgrade the existing immigration service to a border control agency, with investigative and intelligence capabilities including arrest powers to stop extremist Jihadist preachers from entering Sri Lanka in the back drop of recent Al Qaeda threat to declare war on India.

Excerpts of the interview,

Q: Al Qaeda has declared a new front to wage war on India. What could be the implications of this threat to Sri Lanka as an immediate neighbour and as a country that is reviving from a long and brutal war on terrorism ?

A: Asia's rise including the Indian subcontinent is threatened by the deterioration of security in Afghanistan. Although the Al-Qaeda- Taliban threat will primarily affect Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, the violence will affect the prosperity of the entire subcontinent including Sri lanka. with the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, its rival Al Qaeda led by Ayman Al-Zawahiri want to destabilise Asia through its new branch "Qaedat al-Juhad in the Indian sub continent. "

It was established after two years of gathering recruits in the Indian subcontinent into one group under Al Qaeda and the over acrching leadership of Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Muhammad Omar.

Q: The Indian leader has spoken of regionalism, the need for the countries in the region to work together. So far he has not shown any pro-West sentiments. He has not done anything to offend the Islamic extremist groups or Al Qaeda. In this backdrop how can this threat be explained? Why have they shifted their interest to our region instead of Europe and the West as a whole?

A: Premier Modi is genuinely committed to improving India's relations with its neighbours. Modi is fully aware that without security and stability, Indian and regional economy will not prosper. As the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi first hand witnessed the tragedy of ethnic and religious politics. As a no nonsense leader, Modi will not allow the rise of communal and sectarian politics in India on the terrorism front.

Like President Rajapaksa and his brother Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Modi will not tolerate extremism and terrorism. Modi can be a good friend or a bad enemy! Modi's National Security Advisor Ajith Doval is a world counter-terrorism expert and will advice the Indian leader prudently. In the past Indian leaders lacked both vision and poltiical will to make peace with Pakistan.

As terrorism is a common threat, regional groups especially India and Pakistan should hold hands to fight ethnic and religious extremism and terrorism.

Afghanistan can be stabilised only by India and Pakistan working together. If not the US led Western draw down of troops from

Afghanistan, the situation will deteriorate and gravely affect the region's security and stability.

Q: What should be the fist move by India to face this challenge effectively ?

A: Superpower and geopolitics affected South Asian Security for decades. Until Modi, India was pro US and anti-China. Modi's strategy is not to be too close to US or China. A superpower aspirant India under Modi may emerge as a third force. Today two centres of global powers are US and China but in the future there will be US, China and India. With US led draw down from Afghanistan, the region must collaborate to help Afghanistan.

If India genuinely cooperate with its neighbour and the neighbour genuinely reciprocates, restoring stability in Afghanistan in our lifetime is a real possibility.

Q: How can SAARC face this challenge (Islamic fundamentalism) as a regional block since people burdened with poverty and religious tensions can be readily exploited ?

A: Within SAARC there is no genuine cooperation because of Indo-Pakistan animosity. The region must collaborate to fight Al Qaeda operationally and ideologically. In collaboration with local extremists and terrorist groups Al Qaeda has created cells among Muslim communities in the sub continent and disseminate propaganda online to radicalise and militarise Muslims in South Asia.

Q: Do you think the recent riots in Aluthgama, has any link to the attempt by the Al Qaeda to flex its muscles in South Asia?

A: The recent riot in Aluthgama is a direct result of the rise of religious extremist groups in Sri Lanka. Current and aspiring Sri Lankan politicians are playing with fire by exploiting ethnic and religious differences to remain and come to power. Government and Opposition must work together to put a regime in place to criminalise hate speech and incitement.

The new law to imprison and confiscate assets of leaders who play ethnic and religious politics is today absolutely critical.

If not communal and sectarian parties like the TNA, the BBS and the SLMC will once again sow the seeds of hatred and destabilise Sri Lanka. Politicians with such attitudes are the worst brand of politicians and they should be investigated and charged. The tiny segment of Sri Lankans filled with ethnic and religious prejudice, suspicion and anger should be formally and informally educated.

Q: How would you gauge the chances of Al Qaeda cells quietly operating in Sri Lanka already?

A:(al-Zawahiri has mentioned Burma, Kashmir, Islamabad and Bangladesh as having Al Qaeda cells) There are no intelligence reports as of today to suggest that Al Qaeda is functioning in Sri Lanka. As long as the Government maintains a robust intelligence platform, no terrorist group can emerge. However, the need of the hour in Sri Lanka is to build inter-ethnic relations with the North and inter-religious relations with the East.

Ethnic and religious communities live in segregation and in isolation. Their attitudes and opinions can be manipulated easily. That is how the ethnic conclaves in the North and religious pockets in the East became susceptible to communalism and sectarianism.

The Government should de-register mono ethnic and mono religious political parties and build support for the creation of multi-ethnic and multi religious parties. Such national parties and the creation of national schools will bring about the stability Sri Lankans have been yearning for decades.

If not for the Sri Lanka Army, the rioting in Aluthgama may have escalated into July 1983 type island wide riot. Religious and community leaders must meet weekly to resolve potential disputes that can create violence.

Q: Apart from the LTTE, what are the other threats Sri Lanka should keep an eye on?

A: There is no bigger threat for Sri Lanka than to build harmony between communities. The biggest damage the LTTE inflicted was to sow the seeds of hatred and break the traditional friendship between communities. Today there is a golden opportunity to restore that relationship and re-create the Sri Lankan identity.

To build greater understanding between ethnic and religious communities, every district and province should create a harmony centre. Every school and university should create inter ethnic

and inter religious programs such as North - South visits. Unlike in big India, divided by ethno - linguistic states, in little Sri Lanka, people should learn to co-exist. Only then will it once again regain its reputation as a model nation by ethnic and religious harmony.

Q: There is a worldwide anti west Islamic movement, Muslims from many peaceful countries join the ISIS. Do you think Sri Islamic extremism will breed in Sri Lanka?

A: The Muslim community in Sri Lanka has been a model community until recently. They have practised traditional Islam inherited from the previous generations. They valued friendly relationships with the Sinhalese, Tamils and other communities. They had been moderate, tolerant and valued co-existence for centuries.

Unfortunately, with the rise of extremist groups and ideologies in the Middle East and in South Asia, the Muslims of Sri Lanka are being pressurised to change their traditional Asian Islam and embrace a Middle Eastern version of Islam which is not compatible with diversity.

Sri Lankan Muslim leaders should protect the great heritage of Sri Lankan Muslims and not allow these extremist forces to influence them.

There is a huge responsibility upon mainstream Muslim leaders to protect and preserve their traditional way of life - the attire, practices and customs - rather than be influenced by the forces of extremism that will disrupt, the historical friendships between other ethnic and religious ommunities.

Q: What can the Government do to prevent the entry of extremist Jihadist preachers who attempt to radicalise Sri Lankan Muslims? Has there been a movement to involve our citizens in Jihadist activities overseas?

A: As border control is the first-line of defence, Sri Lankan government should upgrade the existing immigration service to a border control agency.

With investigative and intelligence capabilities, including arrest powers. Such an agency should identify and blacklist preventing the entry of radical and violent preachers to Sri Lanka. As of today, there are no Sri Lankan Muslims fighting in conflict zones overseas. However, this is likely to change because South Asia is now coming under the greater influence of extremist and terrorist groups. As the first real step, the Government must stop on-line extremist activity and punish its perpetrators and service providers.

Those maintaining blog sites and facebook pages and insulting each others religions should be brought to task.

expressing views without responsibility is neither democracy nor freedom. Religious and ethnic insulting in Cyberspace will eventually spill over to real space.

Q: How is it that Western forces could not bring about stability to Iraq and Afghanistan after so many years of 'hi-tech' fighting, whereas the Sri Lankan military has been successful in doing so?

The same way , the Soviets suffered defeat in Afghanistan, the US- led coalitions in Afghanistan and Iraq suffered defeat. In contrast, the Sri Lankan security forces succeeded because despite Western pressure, the Government refused to dismantle the security platform in the North and the East.

In the three phases of humanitarian assistance, socio- economic development and political engagement, the Government insisted rightly of maintaining security.

The current phase of political engagement is the most crucial phase because the LTTE remnants overseas seeking to infiltrate the North through the TNA.

The current generation of Tamil leaders who supported the LTTE should be retired and a new generation of visionary leaders should be encouraged to engage in national and non-communal politics.