Sri Lanka’s 4/21 Moment A way forward to countering violent extremism

Sri Lanka is once again in the spotlight of the world; regretfully for ugly and vile reasons. This is Sri Lanka’s 4/21 moment (9/11 in the USA and 11/26 in India). The Easter Sunday massacre of gigantic proportions (253 dead and still counting among a total population of around 21.5 million in the island nation) calls for genuine soul searching as regards how the people of this

Change structures, attitudes, values and emotions

With Sri Lankan religious leaders meeting almost daily for a dialogue to promote inter-religious and inter-racial unity in diversity in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday massacres, the United Nations today and tomorrow also marks a related event. It has asked the international community to make these days a time of remembrance and reconciliation for those who lost their lives

I WEEP FOR MY BELOVED COUNTRY

As I ponder sadly on the Easter Sunday disaster still wiping my tears, our hearts go out to the hundreds killed, and those injured and most of all, to those who lost their nearest and dearest ones in the blasts. The murderers have left in their wake shattered dreams, lives of children blasted to death before they lived life to the full, sole wage earners in homes, wives lost their

Leaders must speak sense

In light of the current terrorist threat that is haunting the country, this is a time when the entire nation should stand together to defeat the common enemy. The threat is being aimed at every citizen irrespective of his caste, creed, religion, race and political party, in spite of the enemy belonging to a particular community. The enemy is one who thinks everybody other than him should be wiped out from the surface of the earth. Therefore, ther

Easter Sunday carnage: The big picture of Intelligence failure and how to fix it Only the tip of the iceberg of a wider intelligence failure

Sri Lanka’s battle against Islamic extremism would involve two integral parts: (a) an intelligence driven kinetic approach to flush out, arrest or neutralize violent extremists; and (b) a State facilitated and community- led approach to combat non-violent extremism, reverse the spread of Wahhabism and Arabization of local Muslims and restore the primacy of moderate Sufi Islam among Sri Lankan Muslim community. For each task at hand, the Govern

Making wise choices after the Easter Sunday attacks

Sri Lanka was caught completely off guard by the string of bomb attacks that ripped through the capital Colombo and multiple other locations in the island. Adding to the fear and confusion, further explosives are being found across the country, in a backdrop of foreign intelligence warnings of a second attack set to take place anytime now. Sri Lankan Christians are in utter shock and

Case of Religious Chauvinism Abused by Super-Powers and their Local Agents ?

The objective of terrorism is to intimidate both targeted factions and larger segments of society that share the values of beleaguered groups by causing them ‘anxiety, intense fear, apprehension, pa

Different ways of curbing extremist propaganda

The sharp rise of Jehadi terrorism in response to the Western nations’ continued atrocities against Islamic countries in the Middle East and Afghanistan, has created, in many countries, a need to curb extremist propaganda. Some of the countrie

How to respond to an Assault on Humanity

Every suicide bomber has a dream, a fantasy of how their destruction will consummate cataclysmic change. Sri Lanka stamped out such heinous desires once before. Now we are called upon to do so again.

Refugee Crisis in Sri Lanka after Easter Sunday Bombings

“Pakistan is a country where suicide bombings happen on a regular basis, mobs gather and kill minorities and people who think differently, houses and settlements are attacked, people are forced to leave their homes.

Press Freedom in a State of Emergency

Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) marks World Press Freedom Day with UNESCO on May 3, 2019 under the theme “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”. It is at a quite critical juncture that Sri Lanka....

Easter Sunday massacre and the danger of overreaction - EDITORIAL

To Sri Lankans the events of April 21, 2019, commonly referred to as the ‘Easter Sunday massacre’, or the ‘4/11 of Sri Lanka’, is deeply etched into our hearts and minds. In the short space of two hours, over 300 persons lost their lives and around 500....

Fear

Fear is ever present now. There is fear in the way people look at each other. There is fear at the site of a vehicle or a bag. Some even fear to go out of their homes. People throughout the country live in a state of fear after the Easter attacks....

Terrorist attack on Easter Sunday What does ‘National Security’ mean?

It is apparent that the outgoing Secretary of Defence by his controversial statement on national security, inferred that protecting luxury hotels was not the responsibility of the Security forces, on the basis that these hotels earn large profits and as such they should provide their own security.

Anti – Terrorist Action Must Not Become a Witch Hunt Against Sri Lankan Muslims

Mohammed Zahran the founder-leader of the National Thawheed Jama’at and suspected ring leader of the Islamic State (IS) inspired attacks on Easter Sunday has been officially reported dead by the Sri Lankan Police.

Media freedom: Rights linked to responsibilities - EDITORIAL

Amid an unprecedented catastrophe, which could be turned into a blessing with religious leaders holding regular dialogues on how to restore peace, harmony and unity in diversity, the United Nations yesterday marked World Press Freedom Day.

Easter Terrorist Carnage and Counter Terrorism in Sri Lanka

Dust is settling down in Sri Lanka after one of the most devastating and heinous terrorist attacks against Christians and foreign visitors (civilians) on April 21, 2019. It was supposed to be a day of glory and celebrations for Christians the world over. However, it turned out to be a day of horror and repugnance for Sri Lankans as well as many others.

Controversial ACJU and deviated Tableegh brought this humiliation

President Maithripala Sirisena, using emergency powers, banned all forms of face covering - burqa and niqab - in public on Sunday 27 April 2019. The restriction came into effect within 24 hours - on the following day, Monday.

Fixing some basics of the post Easter attack

One week has gone by since the brutal massacre of innocent people on Easter Sunday. Whatever happened, has happened and we can do very little to undo that. Many opinions have been expressed on the fact that everyone who is responsible to provide security....

Aftermath of the Easter Sunday carnage

I’m a few thousand miles away from my motherland as I pen these thoughts. A routine and simple visit to family living overseas, rich with the promise of fun and laughter has turned into sleepless....

Geopolitics and Cardinal in Oppositional politics

What’s the aftermath of the Easter Sunday “terror” attack? On what is being reported, more than 150 have been arrested on suspicion by Tuesday last. Four from the list of six wanted suspects have also been arrested while two have died in clashes with the security forces conducting operations.

The Making of a deadly ideology

Thawheed, a household word in Sri Lanka and Christian communities around the world these days is not alien to Muslims. In fact, the concept of Thawheed is the foundation of Islam. In a way, it is what Islam is all about.

Let’s not compromise on security now! - EDITORIAL

The security situation in the country fell to such a low ebb during the Easter Sunday carnage that it was hard to believe that this was a country that once defeated the world’s most ruthless terrorist outfit.

ISIS and a global agenda

Quashing rumours about his death, terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi appeared in a video clip released by the ISIS – the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The terror incorporate is also known as IS or Islamic State, implying that its reach is global.

Politics and rhetoric apart it’s time to rebuild Sri Lanka and heal its wounds

As if the nearly three-decade long war, which killed tens of thousands of combatants and several thousands of civilians caught in the crossfire was not enough and complacently thinking all the while that nothing of that nature would ever again take place in Sri Lanka, the entire country was shocked and shattered by the trail of death and destruction left in its wake by six suicide

Prez still handicapped in changing law and order hierarchy

The threat of terrorism from Islamic State (IS) showed signs of dissipating during the last few days following the arrest of masterminds behind the attack. The government halted imposing curfew, and people returned to the streets more and more during the last couple of days. However, things cannot be taken for granted as the threat has not disappeared fully.

When two unpredictable forces stage battle

While Sri Lanka reflects on the Easter Sunday carnage with each passing day, the islanders have come to terms with understanding another reality; the country has to face the threat of terrorism again.

The problem has to be unveiled

Today the talk is not about the Easter Sunday attacks but ‘the politics of distraction’. The word has been used by the US Ambassador, Alaina B Teplitz (‘The focus should be on the victims and their loved ones,’ she said and not conspiracies about her country striking while the iron is hot, so to speak). Shaahima Raashid, writing in the website Groundviews also uses the word

May Day in times of crisis

This May Day coming within ten days of the horrendous Easter attacks is bound to be muted as Sri Lanka recovers from the shock. These heinous crimes that have killed and maimed many hundreds go beyond the concerns of working people, and should be condemned as an attack on humanity. The victims and their families, whether it was working people at prayer or the hotel

Blind faith and going astray Reflecting on the Easter Sunday carnage

The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has only reacted and not responded to the developing unrest in the country by appointing a new Defence Secretary, Chief Justice, an Acting IGP and banning face coverings used by its citizens when they step out on the streets. Why? Because people are still not happy with the security arrangements made for them after they returned to