• Latest
  • Trending
Prof.Rohan Gunaratna’s recipe for controlling extremism

Prof.Rohan Gunaratna’s recipe for controlling extremism

February 6, 2021
Image credits - Joshua Sukoff / Unsplash

Saudi crown prince approved operation to capture or kill Khashoggi: US intelligence report

February 27, 2021
Image credits - Mint

Low gold prices spark flurry of activity in India

February 27, 2021
The film, a tale of an adolescent boy fighting human-eating demons, has amassed $313 million since opening on Oct. 16. © Koyoharu Gotoge/Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable

Japan anime movie ‘Demon Slayer’ lands in US cinemas

February 27, 2021
Image credits - ICC (Twitter)

India’s double World Cup winner Yusuf Pathan retires

February 27, 2021
Image credits - Raghu Nayyar / Unsplash

India’s economy exits from recession, recovery seen gathering pace

February 27, 2021
India tells UNHRC devolution of power is critical for reconciliation in Sri Lanka

India tells UNHRC devolution of power is critical for reconciliation in Sri Lanka

February 27, 2021
Image credits - Joshua Oluwagbemiga / Unsplash

Gunmen take 317 schoolgirls in Nigeria’s latest mass abduction

February 26, 2021
Image credits - Timothy Newman / Unsplash

Biden launched airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Syria to “send a message”

February 26, 2021
Image credits - Slash Gear

Nestle expands plant-based products with new vegan KitKat bar

February 26, 2021
Image credits - Joshua Sukoff / Unsplash

Biden discussed renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war in Yemen with Saudi King Salman

February 26, 2021
Lankan Prez lays his cards on the table in Independence Day oration

Sri Lanka seeks $2.2 bn from China as reserves shrink

February 26, 2021
Image credits - Benjamin Raffetseder / Unsplash

China’s Xiaomi adds manufacturing muscle in India to boost phone production

February 26, 2021
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Saturday, February 27, 2021
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
NewsIn.Asia
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    Image credits - Mint

    Low gold prices spark flurry of activity in India

    Image credits - ICC (Twitter)

    India’s double World Cup winner Yusuf Pathan retires

    Image credits - Raghu Nayyar / Unsplash

    India’s economy exits from recession, recovery seen gathering pace

    India tells UNHRC devolution of power is critical for reconciliation in Sri Lanka

    India tells UNHRC devolution of power is critical for reconciliation in Sri Lanka

    Lankan Prez lays his cards on the table in Independence Day oration

    Sri Lanka seeks $2.2 bn from China as reserves shrink

    Image credits - Benjamin Raffetseder / Unsplash

    China’s Xiaomi adds manufacturing muscle in India to boost phone production

    Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter)

    India rout England in two-day spin mayhem in Ahmedabad

    Image credits - Daniel Schludi / Unsplash

    Brazil to buy 20 million COVID-19 vaccines from India’s Bharat Biotech

    Background to Lanka’s decision to lift ban on burying COVID dead

    Background to Lanka’s decision to lift ban on burying COVID dead

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States
    Image credits - Joshua Sukoff / Unsplash

    Saudi crown prince approved operation to capture or kill Khashoggi: US intelligence report

    Image credits - Joshua Oluwagbemiga / Unsplash

    Gunmen take 317 schoolgirls in Nigeria’s latest mass abduction

    Image credits - Timothy Newman / Unsplash

    Biden launched airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Syria to “send a message”

    Image credits - Slash Gear

    Nestle expands plant-based products with new vegan KitKat bar

    Image credits - Joshua Sukoff / Unsplash

    Biden discussed renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war in Yemen with Saudi King Salman

    Image credits - Daniel Schludi / Unsplash

    Brazil to buy 20 million COVID-19 vaccines from India’s Bharat Biotech

    Image credits - Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash

    Cocaine ‘worth billions’ seized in record Germany and Belgium haul

    Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Boost for COVID-19 battle, Pfizer vaccine found 94% effective in real world

    Image credits - Stefan Spassov / Unsplash

    Japan appoints ‘minister of loneliness’ to help people home alone

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    The film, a tale of an adolescent boy fighting human-eating demons, has amassed $313 million since opening on Oct. 16. © Koyoharu Gotoge/Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable

    Japan anime movie ‘Demon Slayer’ lands in US cinemas

    Bengali Adhunik song Bela Hole Absan

    Bengali Adhunik song Bela Hole Absan

    Image credits - Steven Cordes / Unsplash

    Gotta catch ’em all: Pandemic sends prices soaring for Pokemon cards

    Image credits - Fixelgraphy / Unsplash

    Spotify to expand into more than 80 new markets including Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives

    Image credits - AdamBMorgan / big-ashb

    Grammy-winning duo Daft Punk announces split after 28 years

    Image credits - LupEnd007 / rodrigoferrari

    Kim Kardashian files for divorce from Kanye West

    Nollywood meets Bollywood in love tale ‘Namaste Wahala’

    Nollywood meets Bollywood in love tale ‘Namaste Wahala’

    Image credits - Gullah / Pixabay

    Disney returns to profit as streaming success offsets pandemic-hit parks

    ARO KOTO DIN AMI KHUJECHI TOMAKE II NANDITA II SEYLON MUSIC LOUNGE

    ARO KOTO DIN AMI KHUJECHI TOMAKE II NANDITA II SEYLON MUSIC LOUNGE

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    Image credits - Slash Gear

    Nestle expands plant-based products with new vegan KitKat bar

    India-made COVID-19 vaccine in Ghana

    India-made COVID-19 vaccine in Ghana

    Image credits - Stefan Spassov / Unsplash

    Japan appoints ‘minister of loneliness’ to help people home alone

    Image credits - freestocks / Unsplash

    Singapore trials Smartphone app offering mini check-ups

    First human case of H5N8 bird flu reported in Russia. Image credits - CDC

    First human case of H5N8 bird flu reported in Russia

    Image credits - LupEnd007 / rodrigoferrari

    Kim Kardashian files for divorce from Kanye West

    “What you say is not as important as the bookcase behind you”

    “What you say is not as important as the bookcase behind you”

    Swati Mohan spearheaded the attitude control and landing system of the Perseverance rover. (Image: Nasa)

    Swati Mohan, Indian-American scientist who led charge to land Nasa rover on Mars, was inspired by Star Trek as a kid

    Image credits - Luca Rüegg / Unsplash

    NASA’s astrobiology rover Perseverance makes historic Mars landing

    Image credits - Arlington Research / Unsplash

    Pandemic to widen skill gaps as workplaces change, McKinsey says

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Image credits - Benjamin Raffetseder / Unsplash

    China’s Xiaomi adds manufacturing muscle in India to boost phone production

    Image credits - freestocks / Unsplash

    Singapore trials Smartphone app offering mini check-ups

    Image credits - Fixelgraphy / Unsplash

    Spotify to expand into more than 80 new markets including Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives

    Image credits - Nicole de Andrade

    Tech Tips: Signal lets users create groups with up to 1000 members, here is how to create one

    Whatsapp / Pic - India Today

    WhatsApp to switch off messages for all who reject new terms

    Image credits - Solen Feyissa / Unsplash

    Facebook news goes dark in Australia as content spat escalates

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    Image credits - Mint

    Low gold prices spark flurry of activity in India

    Image credits - ICC (Twitter)

    India’s double World Cup winner Yusuf Pathan retires

    Image credits - Raghu Nayyar / Unsplash

    India’s economy exits from recession, recovery seen gathering pace

    India tells UNHRC devolution of power is critical for reconciliation in Sri Lanka

    India tells UNHRC devolution of power is critical for reconciliation in Sri Lanka

    Lankan Prez lays his cards on the table in Independence Day oration

    Sri Lanka seeks $2.2 bn from China as reserves shrink

    Image credits - Benjamin Raffetseder / Unsplash

    China’s Xiaomi adds manufacturing muscle in India to boost phone production

    Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter)

    India rout England in two-day spin mayhem in Ahmedabad

    Image credits - Daniel Schludi / Unsplash

    Brazil to buy 20 million COVID-19 vaccines from India’s Bharat Biotech

    Background to Lanka’s decision to lift ban on burying COVID dead

    Background to Lanka’s decision to lift ban on burying COVID dead

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States
    Image credits - Joshua Sukoff / Unsplash

    Saudi crown prince approved operation to capture or kill Khashoggi: US intelligence report

    Image credits - Joshua Oluwagbemiga / Unsplash

    Gunmen take 317 schoolgirls in Nigeria’s latest mass abduction

    Image credits - Timothy Newman / Unsplash

    Biden launched airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Syria to “send a message”

    Image credits - Slash Gear

    Nestle expands plant-based products with new vegan KitKat bar

    Image credits - Joshua Sukoff / Unsplash

    Biden discussed renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war in Yemen with Saudi King Salman

    Image credits - Daniel Schludi / Unsplash

    Brazil to buy 20 million COVID-19 vaccines from India’s Bharat Biotech

    Image credits - Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash

    Cocaine ‘worth billions’ seized in record Germany and Belgium haul

    Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Boost for COVID-19 battle, Pfizer vaccine found 94% effective in real world

    Image credits - Stefan Spassov / Unsplash

    Japan appoints ‘minister of loneliness’ to help people home alone

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    The film, a tale of an adolescent boy fighting human-eating demons, has amassed $313 million since opening on Oct. 16. © Koyoharu Gotoge/Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable

    Japan anime movie ‘Demon Slayer’ lands in US cinemas

    Bengali Adhunik song Bela Hole Absan

    Bengali Adhunik song Bela Hole Absan

    Image credits - Steven Cordes / Unsplash

    Gotta catch ’em all: Pandemic sends prices soaring for Pokemon cards

    Image credits - Fixelgraphy / Unsplash

    Spotify to expand into more than 80 new markets including Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives

    Image credits - AdamBMorgan / big-ashb

    Grammy-winning duo Daft Punk announces split after 28 years

    Image credits - LupEnd007 / rodrigoferrari

    Kim Kardashian files for divorce from Kanye West

    Nollywood meets Bollywood in love tale ‘Namaste Wahala’

    Nollywood meets Bollywood in love tale ‘Namaste Wahala’

    Image credits - Gullah / Pixabay

    Disney returns to profit as streaming success offsets pandemic-hit parks

    ARO KOTO DIN AMI KHUJECHI TOMAKE II NANDITA II SEYLON MUSIC LOUNGE

    ARO KOTO DIN AMI KHUJECHI TOMAKE II NANDITA II SEYLON MUSIC LOUNGE

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    Image credits - Slash Gear

    Nestle expands plant-based products with new vegan KitKat bar

    India-made COVID-19 vaccine in Ghana

    India-made COVID-19 vaccine in Ghana

    Image credits - Stefan Spassov / Unsplash

    Japan appoints ‘minister of loneliness’ to help people home alone

    Image credits - freestocks / Unsplash

    Singapore trials Smartphone app offering mini check-ups

    First human case of H5N8 bird flu reported in Russia. Image credits - CDC

    First human case of H5N8 bird flu reported in Russia

    Image credits - LupEnd007 / rodrigoferrari

    Kim Kardashian files for divorce from Kanye West

    “What you say is not as important as the bookcase behind you”

    “What you say is not as important as the bookcase behind you”

    Swati Mohan spearheaded the attitude control and landing system of the Perseverance rover. (Image: Nasa)

    Swati Mohan, Indian-American scientist who led charge to land Nasa rover on Mars, was inspired by Star Trek as a kid

    Image credits - Luca Rüegg / Unsplash

    NASA’s astrobiology rover Perseverance makes historic Mars landing

    Image credits - Arlington Research / Unsplash

    Pandemic to widen skill gaps as workplaces change, McKinsey says

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Image credits - Benjamin Raffetseder / Unsplash

    China’s Xiaomi adds manufacturing muscle in India to boost phone production

    Image credits - freestocks / Unsplash

    Singapore trials Smartphone app offering mini check-ups

    Image credits - Fixelgraphy / Unsplash

    Spotify to expand into more than 80 new markets including Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives

    Image credits - Nicole de Andrade

    Tech Tips: Signal lets users create groups with up to 1000 members, here is how to create one

    Whatsapp / Pic - India Today

    WhatsApp to switch off messages for all who reject new terms

    Image credits - Solen Feyissa / Unsplash

    Facebook news goes dark in Australia as content spat escalates

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
No Result
View All Result
NewsIn.Asia
No Result
View All Result
Home Around South Asia Sri Lanka

Prof.Rohan Gunaratna’s recipe for controlling extremism

Editor by Editor
February 6, 2021
in Sri Lanka, Terrorism, Top Story
Reading Time: 12min read
10 0
Prof.Rohan Gunaratna’s recipe for controlling extremism
34
SHARES
Share on WhatsApp

By Camellia Nathaniel/Daily News

Colombo, February 6: The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) accuses Sri Lanka of being in a ‘state of denial about the past’, details how the failure of domestic mechanisms has further entrenched impunity, exacerbating victims’ distrust in the system. Among a litany of failures, the report addresses the rollback of 2015 reforms that offered more checks and balances on executive power, the erosion of judicial and institutional independence, and the failure to reform the security sector and remove and hold to account those responsible for alleged grave crimes and human rights violations. The Government has decided to reject the report submitted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka.

In an interview with the Daily News, Dr. Rohan Gunaratna who is an Honorary Professor at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and Senior Advisor to its Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, Sri Lanka, discussed aspects of the UN report and Sri Lanka’s stand and course of action required to be taken.

The following are excerpts from the interview:

Q. As an international expert, how do you view the latest UN report on Sri Lanka?

. The UN report on Sri Lanka reflects that successive governments have not handled the human rights challenges prudently. It is still not too late for the Sri Lankan Government to create a team of specialists to provide guidance and direction as well as engage the UN system, especially the UNHRC. Unless the Government develops a professional approach, the existing situation will be mishandled and will lead to the loss of valuable time, opportunities and resources. The Government needs not only a whole of Government but a whole of society approach. The Sri Lankan conflict was meticulously documented and the data can be used to verify and validate the allegations made and implied in the report. Without further loss of time, the Government should create a proactive interagency mechanism with specialists from the Foreign Ministry, Defence Ministry, intelligence community, NGOs and the media to address the very issues raised in the report. After establishing a secretariat with competent and dedicated staff, the Government should create a 24/7 monitoring and response capability.

Sri Lanka was the first country to defeat an insurgent and terrorist group in the early 21st century. As a modern war, the Sri Lankan Security Forces – LTTE conflict was meticulously documented by several parties. The Sri Lankan Government should share the above documentation with the UN and also release significant information through a portal run by the Security Forces. The reports should include the United Nations Country Team Assessment of Casualty Figures that was never released publicly. According to this vital report, a total of 7,721 were killed and 18,479 were injured from August 2008 to May 13, 2009. This includes both civilians and LTTE terrorists. Furthermore, the UNICEF Supported Family Tracing and Reunification Unit issued a report that stated, as of June 2011, 2,564 tracing applications have been recorded out of which 676 are related to children and 1,888 to adults. The UNICEF stated that 64 percent tracing requests were reported by parents as having been recruited by the LTTE.

The LTTE international network provided a fictitious figure of 40,000 that the UN report has reproduced several times without authentication. The report of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka, referred to by some as the Darusman Report, lost credibility in Sri Lanka after it reproduced the fictitious figure 40,000. An indelible lesson learnt from Sri Lanka’s experience is that international organizations, especially the UN, should not reference a death toll without verification and validation. It is within the capability of the UN to build a database of the dead that is transparent and open to scrutiny. The Sri Lankan Government should counter any individual or organisation repeating the fictitious numbers generated by the LTTE notorious for using its front, cover or sympathetic organisations to influence the human rights lobby. In response to the LTTE propaganda campaign, the Sri Lankan Government should create strategic communication capabilities within Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Intelligence Services, and the Foreign Office. Unfortunately, neither the Foreign Office nor the Security Forces have understood the national imperative to raise the specialist capabilities to rebut the false information produced by the LTTE international network.

Q. As an expert on terrorism with vast experience on this topic, do you agree with these allegations against the Sri Lankan Security Forces accusing them of human rights violations?

A. The focus of the UN report is on accountability, the cornerstone of the human rights framework. Accountability is responsibility, answerability and enforceability. Accountability is the obligation of the Government to take responsibility for their actions, answer to those affected, and put in place a mechanism to monitor and take measures if the established standards are not complied. In the Sri Lankan context, the Government had a robust mechanism where several departments worked closely with UN agencies including the UNICEF, ICRC, diplomatic missions, international and domestic NGOs, and the media. There is sufficient documentation appreciating the Government’s commitment of sending food, medicine and other essential supplies to 399,785 civilians held hostage by the LTTE. The LTTE used the civilians as a cover to fire at the Sri Lankan military, a practice the LTTE is notorious for, including when it fought against the Indian Peace Keeping Force. There is also an abundance of documentation that the civilians ran away from the LTTE in the direction of the Security Forces. This includes testimony that the LTTE fired at the civilians breaking away from the LTTE human shield and fleeing in the direction of the Security Forces. The Security Forces provided water, food and medicine before transporting the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to welfare centres because the LTTE had mined large areas of land and also each person had to be screened.

A total of 12,735 LTTE leaders and members surrendered or were identified by Tamil civilians or government investigators/intelligence. The former terrorists were given an amnesty, rehabilitated, and, reintegrated. As it prevented the revival of the LTTE, the rehabilitation programme of Sri Lanka is considered one of the three top programmes in the world. The then Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave full access for a period of five years to a team of psychologists led by distinguished professors Arie W. Kruglanski and Michele J. Gelfand to interview the entire detainee population. In addition to the meticulous records maintained by the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation (BCGR), debriefing of the former terrorists are with the Police Special Branch, Criminal Investigations Department, Terrorism Investigations Division, Military Intelligence Directorate and the State Intelligence Service. The records provide the most comprehensive account of LTTE atrocities, the ethnic cleansing of Sinhalese and Muslims from the North and the East, the attacks on the Sinhala and Tamil villages, the massacres and bombings of civilians in the South, the assassination of civilian and military leaders including two world leaders, and the international network of the LTTE that supported and enabled three decades of terrorism in Sri Lanka. The Government should not share publicly the names of the rehabilitated and reintegrated LTTE terrorists as they are living happily with their families. However, they will be of exceptional value in bringing to justice those who supported, especially funded the LTTE in Sri Lanka.

Any investigation should focus on the sources of allegations and counter allegations. The key question that should be posed is who has brought these allegations? Although the LTTE domestic organisation was dismantled, the LTTE international network survived. The LTTE international network that engaged in propaganda and lobbying, extortion and fundraising, procurement of arms and dual-use technologies, and clandestine shipping of arms from North Korea to Sri Lanka transformed. The LTTE international network today masquerade as human rights champions in Western capitals and in Geneva. Similarly, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that espoused separatism, works in Geneva with key LTTE fronts. The Yahapalanaya regime delisted eight of 16 LTTE front organisations overseas and 269 terrorist activists from 424 listed under the UNHCR 1373. With the recovery of the LTTE database, its financiers overseas were listed based on evidence that has never been disputed. The terrorist fronts delisted by the Yahapalanaya regime were the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), British Tamil Forum (BTF), National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT), Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO), World Tamil Coordinating Committee (WTCC), Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), Australian Tamil Congress (ATC), and Tamil National Council (TNC). The delisting of the fronts led to the revival of the LTTE at home and LTTE resurgence in the West. The time is right to relist the delisted fronts and to investigate, charge, and prosecute LTTE functionaries including propagandists, financiers, procurement and logistics officers living overseas.

Q. Successive governments in Sri Lanka gave assurances to repel the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and introduce new anti-terrorism laws. Why has this not happened?

A. The PTA was developed in 1979 by the then President J.R. Jayawardena’s administration as a response to terrorism which was prevailing at that time in the Jaffna Peninsula.

Its offences reflect the nature of terrorist activities which were taking place in that part of Sri Lanka at that time.

It is reliably known that State legal advisors were briefed of the type of criminal activities which were being unleashed at that time by a comparatively young group of terror organisations including the LTTE.

Based on the threat at that time a legal and policy framework was crafted to deal with the assassination of Tamil politicians, government officials, informants, bank robberies, explosions and making speeches resulting in racial hatred. At that time, there were no attacks on civilians. In addition to examining the counter terrorism legislation of the UK, India and Pakistan, they reviewed emergency regulations to deal with the 1971 insurrection, the 1962 military coup, and the Criminal Justice Commissions Act. The PTA was enacted for a year as he believed that the terrorist threat could be eliminated by the end of the year. The PTA of 1979 law repealed the proscription of the LTTE and other terrorist groups in 1978. During that year, the threat grew and the Parliament gave the PTA another three years. As the threat persisted, the Parliament made it a perpetual law.

Today, the threat landscape has changed. The PTA does not capture the killing of civilians except witnesses. The PTA covers only specified persons: public servants, policemen and politicians. The PTA is not potent to deal with the Easter Sunday attack, the type of attacks the world including Sri Lanka is likely to suffer if national security is neglected. If the Counter Terrorism Act (CTA) had been enacted in a timely manner during the Yahapalanaya regime, the Easter massacre could have been prevented. If not prevented, the State could have used the CTA to deal with those involved in the Easter attack. Unfortunately, the Yahapalanaya Government was weak and the then Opposition onslaught prevented the bill from becoming a law. In the Sri Lankan culture of confrontational politics, there was no bipartisanship on national security and foreign policy. The Opposition wrongly said the CTA was a US and European draft when 22 top-level Sri Lankan Government officials and one private human rights lawyer had worked on it. The legislative draft reflected the unanimous view of all 22.

The bill was drafted by a group of Sri Lankan legal, military, police, intelligence and administrative personnel of whom except one, all were public officials. Their final report which was presented to the then Prime Minister had been unanimous. They had twin objectives. One was to develop a modern counter terrorism law which could be effectively used to deal with all contemporary forms and manifestations of terrorism. The other was to ensure compatibility with human rights norms and to prevent abuse. After the Easter attack, it is apparent that the PTA is not the most efficacious in dealing with all forms and manifestations of terrorism. What is conspicuously absent in the PTA is an offence called terrorism and acts. As religious extremism is the backdrop for the unleashing of violence, that is per se terrorism. Furthermore, with terrorism emerging as a global play, if anyone is planning attacks against Sri Lanka from overseas or its nationals in Sri Lanka are planning to mount attacks overseas, the State can act. The CTA is a contribution towards the global effort on terrorism. The CTA is also efficacious against LTTE networks, cells and individuals overseas planning abetting and instigating terrorism in Sri Lanka. The CTA gave universal jurisdiction to Sri Lankan law enforcement and courts to deal with terrorism both from a national and global perspective.

Q. “The UN High Commissioner urges the authorities to immediately end all forms of surveillance…” What is your opinion?

A. A government with no capacity to surveil terrorist and criminal suspects will suffer from terrorism and crime. Sri Lanka suffered from the Easter Sunday massacre as a direct result of the Yahapalanaya Government leaders instructing the Directorate of Military Intelligence to call off its surveillance operations. The result was the loss of 264 lives, both Sri Lankans and foreigners, and another 592 maimed and injured. The Easter Sunday massacre was the worst terrorist attack Sri Lanka suffered since 2009. It will be fatal for Sri Lanka if its security and intelligence services stop its surveillance operations. In the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and in continental Europe, there are over 100,000 terrorist suspects under watch.

Sri Lanka’s security was compromised by its leaders during the Yahapalanaya regime. Rather than curbing Islamization and Arabization, Wickremesinghe advocated a reconciliation model of governance to enlist the Muslim vote. Similarly, instead of countering separatism, Mangala Samaraweera delisted LTTE entities enlisting the Tamil vote. As Prime Minister of the Yahapalanaya regime, Wickremesinghe instructed the Directorate of Military Intelligence to dismantle the operational capabilities designed and developed to detect terrorists and disrupt attacks. Instead of securing Sri Lanka, Wickremesinghe took guidance from the UNHRC, human rights bodies, Western capitals and Western diplomats in Colombo lobbied by the LTTE and TNA to investigate the Security Forces. With the restrictions placed on the Security Forces, the lack of direction and guidance by both Wickremesinghe and Sirisena, the birth, growth and attacks by the Islamic State was inevitable and imminent.

In addition to expanding its security and intelligence capabilities both in Sri Lanka and overseas in the coming decade, the Sri Lankan Government should respond to the current and emerging threats by introducing a national service. Furthermore, the Government should propose an intelligence and a National Security bill.

Q. The US Justice Department has charged three Sri Lankans with supporting terrorism for their participation in the Islamic State-claimed Easter attacks on churches and hotels in 2019. Sri Lanka is still to charge anyone despite numerous investigations. What is your opinion?

A. The Easter Sunday massacre is an act of international terrorism. It was a complex terrorist attack involving multiple targets. The Criminal Investigations Department, Terrorism Investigations Division and other entities have worked with the Attorney General’s Department to investigate and indict the Islamic State detainees. The AG will review the findings of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Attacks. The Presidential Commission concluded their proceedings only in January 2021. While the focus of the police investigation was on bringing the perpetrators and the support network that enabled the terrorist attack to justice, the Presidential Commission will propose far-reaching changes to prevent the next attack.

The far-reaching changes should include reforming the mosque and Madrasa, where Muslims learn about other faiths, and, learn to respect them. Even after the Easter Sunday massacre, the continuing spread of Salafism especially its Saudi version Wahhabism was highlighted at the Presidential Commission on the Easter Sunday attacks. The Government should put in place a system to screen foreign preachers and also accredit local preachers practicing in Sri Lanka. As long as foreign ideologies supplant local and traditional Islam, exclusivism, extremism and terrorism will persist. With the second commemoration of Easter Sunday massacre coming up, the Muslim leadership should move to reform the religious space. Although the ideology of Salafism/Wahhabism known as Tawheed in South India and Sri Lanka originated from Saudi Arabia, most of the Gulf countries have been smart. They have regularised the management of mosques, Madrasas and all Islamic organisations. Today, no sermons without the approval of the religious authority appointed by the Government could be delivered. The sermons should be devoid of political subjects. There should be no anti-government propaganda in religious institutions.

The madrasas should be brought under the Education Ministry. Similarly, there should be a common syllabus. The Gulf countries have been able to modernise their Madrasas with a regulated curriculum. Until Easter Sunday, successive governments in Sri Lanka left it to the Muslim leaders to take tough decisions on religious reform due to political considerations. Sadly, the situation has deteriorated from bad to worse. A segment of the Sri Lankan Muslims continues to take inspiration from Saudi Arabia but behave more regressively. Muslim political and clerical leadership should develop a zero-tolerance approach to exclusivism and extremism. They should stop the political, religious and cultural radicalisation by reforming the Madrasa and the mosque sermons to produce a new generation of Muslims. They should reject the Middle Eastern ideologies and fashion that is supplanting the Sri Lankan Muslim heritage.

Q. In your view what steps could and should the Government take in order to encourage reconciliation between the various communities in the country?

A. National unity is national security. If the bridges between communities are not restored, exclusivism will lead to extremism and extremism to terrorism and violence. The way forward is to replace the segregated education system with national schools, introduce religious knowledge to all schools, delist ethnicity and religion-based political parties, and integrate communities. To deter anyone from insulting another person’s ethnicity and religion, formulate a maintenance of ethnic and religious harmony act, and also an online falsehoods and manipulations act.

Sri Lankan politicians have exploited ethnicity and religion for their personal and political agendas. They have created disharmony between communities and compromised national security. The most notorious was the TULF that created the separatist ideology that some elements of the TNA continue to espouse by igniting racial passions. The Government has to take firm action on anyone trying to glorify Prabhakaran, the LTTE and the dead terrorists. The Government should reach out to the Tamil communities overseas and engage them to join in the socioeconomic development programmes of Sri Lanka.

END

Tags: ControlDr..Rohan GunaratnaextremismNational UnitySri Lanka
SendShare28Tweet3Share1Share
Editor

Editor

Recommended Articles

  • All
  • Recommend
COVID body being brought for cremation in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka finally allows burial of Covid-19 victims

February 25, 2021
Lanka-Pakistan ties to acquire a new look following Imran Khan’s visit

Lanka-Pakistan ties to acquire a new look following Imran Khan’s visit

February 25, 2021
Contribution of T.B.Jayah to Sri Lanka-Pakistan relations

Contribution of T.B.Jayah to Sri Lanka-Pakistan relations

February 23, 2021
The Bengalis’ pioneering struggle for language rights

The Bengalis’ pioneering struggle for language rights

February 21, 2021
Imran Khan’s climb to the political summit was long and hard

Imran Khan’s climb to the political summit was long and hard

February 20, 2021
Indian Foreign Minister’s visit to Male enhances economic ties with  Maldives

Indian Foreign Minister’s visit to Male enhances economic ties with Maldives

February 20, 2021

Advertorial

  • All
  • Advertorial
Visual and Textual Analysis for Images with Reverse Search Tools

Visual and Textual Analysis for Images with Reverse Search Tools

January 3, 2021

Popular Now

  • UNHRC debate: A majority of countries spoke in favour of Sri Lanka

    UNHRC debate: A majority of countries spoke in favour of Sri Lanka

    53 shares
    Share 37 Tweet 7
  • Background to Lanka’s decision to lift ban on burying COVID dead

    27 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 4
  • Spotify to expand into more than 80 new markets including Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives

    12 shares
    Share 5 Tweet 3
  • Vaccines roll out to public; six centres in Colombo

    11 shares
    Share 5 Tweet 3
  • Sri Lanka finally allows burial of Covid-19 victims

    15 shares
    Share 9 Tweet 3
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

© 2020 NewsIn.Asia - Lovingly maintained by DigitalArc.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
  • Around The World
  • Breaking News
  • Business
    • Exchange
  • Climate Change
  • Governance
    • Crime
    • Diplomacy
    • Defense
    • Human Rights
    • Politics
    • Strategic Affairs
  • Lifestyle
    • Books
    • Entertainment
      • Arts
      • Cinema
      • Gaming
      • Music
      • Movie
      • Series
      • TV
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
  • Culture
    • Ethnicity
    • Gender
  • Development news
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Coronavirus
  • History
  • National
  • Offbeat
    • Media
    • Music and arts across South Asia
  • Recommended
    • Headlines
    • Highlights
    • Top Picture
    • Top Story
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Cricket
      • LPL
      • IPL
    • Tennis
    • Formula 1
    • NBA
  • Tech
    • Instagram
  • United Nations
  • Weather
  • World
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States

© 2020 NewsIn.Asia - Lovingly maintained by DigitalArc.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In