Life inside a troubled nation - EDITORIAL

As Sri Lankans wake up each day praying for peace and a troublefree day there is still no room to shut our minds from the thought that terrorism still haunts this island nation. 

Schools are temporary closed and we have some solace that our children are safe being at home, But for how long can parents keep them behind closed doors? We have to start waking up to the reality that Sri Lanka is not a safe place anymore after the series of bombings which took place on Easter Sunday. 

The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has earned enough criticism from the community and the global world for having lapses in its security arrangements. Former Army Commander and now Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka-who is also a minister- summed up the pathetic security situation in the country in a moving speech in parliament recently. 

The bottom line is that a country could suffer these types of blows to its security when the president and prime minister don’t see eye to eye and are not on talking terms. 

We enjoyed peace and space to move around freely for nine plus years after the civil war concluded in 2009. We saw how a Tamil youth by the name of Arun from Jaffna was baffled by the freedom the Colombo folk enjoyed when he visited the country’s economic capital for a television talk show. May be he spoke too soon. Now we have a police curfew that’s imposed in the night and only lifted in the wee hours of the morning the next day. 

Colombo’s folks frequent shopping malls and theatres as a habit, but now we hear that their movements have been restricted following the state of emergency that was imposed by the government a few days ago. We also hear of patrons being thoroughly checked before they are let in to these shopping malls. 

Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attacks in the country. But quite rightly the Reuters news agency reported that ISIS’ claim is not backed by any evidence that supports this claim. 

But we Sri Lankans have jumped to a conclusion with many media institutes and folks in general too claiming that the attacks were masterminded by this extreme religious group. Only thorough investigations would confirm the ISIS’ role in the attacks within Sri Lanka. Till then the Sri Lanka security forces must focus on enemy within; which we now strongly suspect is the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ). 

Life must go on here in Sri Lanka and the majority Sinhalese must ensure that the country’s Muslim community is not in any way abused, attacked or even made uncomfortable in the slightest manner. We have had enough brain drain in the country with the educated Tamils emigrating after the 1983 riots and we don’t wish to see our Muslim ‘brothers’ saying good bye either. 

But we can’t let this nation become another Syria or Afghanistan where bombs are exploded at regular intervals. 
We need the freedom to have a night meal in an open area cafe, travel in trains and take the bus inside crowded cities without having to suspect that the person seated next us might be having explosives strapped and concealed under his or her garments.  

Right now freedom is restricted and we also see unattended vehicles being removed or blown up for security reasons. Our minds are clouded again like during the civil war when we had to depend on what was happening in the battle front through government handouts published in national newspapers and read our in the electronic media. We are made to believe that the NTJ carried out the attacks; a claim which the Government’s security establishment makes, but this organisation hasn’t accepted yet. 

Several arrests have been made and the Federal Investigations Bureau (FBI) of the USA is already here to help in the investigations. 
The perpetrators of these acts are likely to target large gatherings; hence the upcoming Vesak celebrations too could be hampered. We as a nation must keep our eyes and ears open and most importantly pray for peace in this nation.