Sunday Times 2
Racist terrorism: Never again as a political slogan
Hilary Clinton speaking to supporters on Tuesday June 23 is reported to have decried the Charleston church massacre as an act of “Racist Terrorism”. In Sri Lanka, it is unfortunate that some politicians, who are bent on grabbing power, are making use of “Racism and Terrorism” to come back to power. They continue to make public statements that the LTTE is regrouping due to the laxity of the government in power.
In May, when an innocent girl was gang raped and murdered in Pungututhivu, Jaffna, politicians shamelessly raised the cry of terrorism alleging that the perpetrators were LTTE supporters who were now free to move about in the Northern Province. Immediately after this incident when the Jaffna Court House was attacked and damaged, the same racist and terrorism cry was raised alleging that the LTTE had been given a free hand in the North by the present government. In both these incidents, the Police had acted firmly and speedily and arrested the suspects and produced them before court.
These two incidents have no links to any terrorist movement, but have been perpetrated by youths who are residents of the area. Statements are being made by politicians, alleging that the government has withdrawn the Army camps in the North, allowing the supporters of the defeated LTTE to create problems. They allege that several acres of land have been returned to the legal owners, paving the way for the return of the LTTE. Politicians have used at every election the defeat of the LTTE to whip up nationalist feelings of the majority of Sri Lankans. Having realised its success, they played the same card at the January 8 presidential election, but the people realised the truth and voted in a new President. The President has clearly spelt out his future programmes, particularly the process of reconciliation between the majority and the minority communities. He has vowed that he and his government will not allow the terrorists, the LTTE, to regroup or resume their operations. He has been supported by the defence ministry and the security forces who ensure the nation’s security is not compromised even as measures are taken to address the grieveances of the minority communities.
Now that the general election is due in August, the defeated politicians are once again raising the same slogans to rouse the feelings of the people to gather votes. Here I would like to quote a statement attributed to Northern Province Governor H.M.G.S.Palihakkara, a well recognised career diplomat and member of the LLRC. He said: “Political parties of all affiliations will be abusing the ethnic issue during the coming election campaigns. The troubling reality is that the ethnic issue will be abused by parties of all sides.”
In reference to reconciliation, he is reported to have stated, “the political leadership of all spectrums have failed to fully grasp the potential from the ending of the conflict. We have yet to see the ending of the conflict translating into reconciliation, despite reaching the latter part of the decade since the end of war… Most within the political sphere are attempting to aggravate ethnic issues despite the current government emphasising on good governance and national unity.”
Irrespective of the colour of the political parties, at least in the interest of our nation’s progress, stop using racism and terrorism as political slogans to gain power. It is the duty of all politicians to consider all citizens of this country as Sri Lankans and work towards uniting them. We as Sri Lankans too should work together to see our beloved country prosper, peacefully and economically. Instead of beating the ethnic war drums, let all political parties vow that they will fiercely campaign for “Peace and Reconciliation”.
(The writer is a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sri Lanka Police)