By K.T.Rajasingham
Singapore, 30 September, (Asiantribune.com):
Prof. Rohan Gunaratne
Asian Tribune interviewed Professor Rohan Gunaratne on some of the important critical issues regarding Sri Lanka in particular, he said that to immunize the society from communal and religious extremism, Sri Lanka should enact legislation. It must pass a Harmony Act to promote harmony and a Race and Religion Act to prevent anyone from insulting another’s heritage.
He categorically said political parties organized on sectarian lines has to be watched carefully to see to ensure that they do not emerge as enemies of reconciliation and a harmonious living.
Professor insisted that Sri Lanka should also bring legislation to outlaw political parties such as Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), TNA and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) - organized along sectarian lines. They emerged during the communal conflict and were designed and developed to look after the interests of specific communities.
When responding to a question on Reconciliation, the erudite Professor said, “Reconciling the hearts and the minds of the communities polarized by a thirty year conflict cannot be accomplished in three years. Reconciliation need not be the responsibility of one community or the government. All communities, all political parties, the government, the opposition must take responsibility to drive reconciliation forward.”
He further emphasized, “Reconciliation must be embraced as the spirit of every Sri Lankan.
Reconciliation is not the responsibility of government. Reconciliation is the responsibility of everyone. Every Sinhalese, Muslim and Tamil must contribute to relieve the suffering of their brothers and sisters across the ethnic and religious divide. Especially, if an individual Tamil or Tamil organization funded the LTTE to commit acts of terror, this is the time for him or her or the organization to come forward and look after those rehabilitated LTTE cadres to support them to set up their homes.”
Given below the excerpts of the interview Asian Tribune hard with Professor Rohan Gunaratne – the international expert on counter terrorism:
Asian Tribune: 1.Is there any accepted definition for a terrorist? As far as Velupillai Prabhakaran was concern, he was termed as a ‘terrorist,’ but a section of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, a larger section of the Tamils in Tamil Nadu and a section of the Tami diaspora still consider him as a freedom fighter, a liberator of Tamils from the Sinhalese. Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared in its Preamble “Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law.” Does Prabhakaran the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam falls under the conventionally defined terrorist?
The threat or the act of politically motivated violence against civilians is terrorism
Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: The threat or the act of politically motivated violence against civilians is terrorism. A terrorist is a person who plans, prepares and executes acts of terror against civilians. Starting with India in 1992, after the LTTE assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, 31 countries listed the LTTE as a terrorist group and Prabhakaran as a terrorist.
However, Prabhakaran’s family, his group, supporters and sympathizers did not agree that Prabhakaran was a terrorist.
Prabhakaran was perceived as a hero by a narrow segment of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and overseas who were polarized by the conflict or were politicized, radicalized and militarized by propaganda. In the eyes of their supporters and sympathizers, Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda leader, Abimal Guzman, the Shining Path leader and Sukhdev Singh Babbar, the leader of Babbar Khalsa International are freedom fighters. But most Tamils, Muslims, Peruvians and Sikhs respectively do not regard Prabhakaran, Osama, Guzman and Sukdev as leaders but misfits who achieved nothing. They induced suffering through killing, maiming, injuring and other acts of violence and to build support hiding behind civilians, provoked governments to overreact against their own communities.
Asian Tribune: 2. In the final conflict with the LTTE, Sri Lankan Government forces managed to overcome the LTTE and brought the entire Eastern Province and subsequently the Northern Province under its control. Though the Government forces defeated the LTTE, the Tamils are of the opinion that the Government by defeating the LTTE, it has ultimately brought the Tamils living in this country under its capitulation. They are of the view that they are being defeated. Though the Government manage to win over the LTTE it has failed so far to win the hearts and minds of the Tamils. Is there any way for the Government to realize its folly and come up with a reconciliation program to win the hearts and minds of the Tamils?
Ways To Win The Hearts & Minds Of Tamils
Every Sinhalese, Muslim and Tamil must contribute to relieve the suffering of their brothers and sisters across the ethnic and religious divide.Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: Reconciling the hearts and the minds of the communities polarized by a thirty year conflict cannot be accomplished in three years. Reconciliation need not be the responsibility of one community or the government. All communities, all political parties, the government, the opposition must take responsibility to drive reconciliation forward. The first step in reconciliation was to rehabilitate 12,000 LTTE cadres of which 11,500 have been released. They were the worst perpetrators of violence – assassinating leaders, setting of bombs in public places, conducting massacres of border villagers etc, . Rather than prosecute and punish these misguided youth of Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a decision and the Secretary Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa implemented a national rehabilitation program to restore their lives to normalcy. Any other country would have charged, tried and sentenced them, either for membership or supporting a terrorist group for 15-20 years.
With the exception of Akilan, a LTTE military wing cadre killed Andrew Mahendrarajah Anthonipillai, a visiting Canadian Tamil to steal Rs 2 million on May 3, 2012, none of the LTTE members and helpers that underwent rehabilitation have relapsed to violence. Together with his associates, Akilan developed a clandestine relationship with a married woman who drove him to commit this heinous murder.
The second step in reconciliation was to provide medical first aid, water, food and shelter 280,000 Tamils, de-mine their traditional habitats, develop basic infrastructure and provide them livelihood support. These were the innocent Tamils mostly from the Wanni held against their will by the LTTE as a human shield by the LTTE that infiltrated the government established No-Fire-Zone. They too have been resettled.
Reconciliation must be embraced as the spirit of every Sri Lankan. Reconciliation is not the responsibility of government. Reconciliation is the responsibility of everyone. Every Sinhalese, Muslim and Tamil must contribute to relieve the suffering of their brothers and sisters across the ethnic and religious divide. Especially, if an individual Tamil or Tamil organization funded the LTTE to commit acts of terror, this is the time for him or her or the organization to come forward and look after those rehabilitated LTTE cadres to support them to set up their homes.
The rehabilitated cadres often reflect and state that the Tamil diaspora funded them to fight and no they must find funds to rebuild their broken lives.
Although the bulk of the rehabilitated cadres have gained employment, some have not and they need help. Some disabled cadres that fought on the battlefield need long term medical and psychological care and their parents have no means to support them. Similarly, government has provided some vocational training and livelihood support for the IDPs but they need more help.
In the rehabilitation of LTTE cadres and the resettlement of IDPs, neither the LTTE fronts – Global Tamil Front led by S.J Emmanuel, Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam led by V. Rudrakumaran, Tamil Coordinating Committee/Tamil Youth Organization led by Nediyawan and their affiliates – nor Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a LTTE proxy, helped. They raised money but squandered it either for personal gain or to lobby against the government. In their hearts, most rehabilitated Tamil Tiger cadres curse the segment of the Diaspora that funded terror destroying their lives and dreams. The ultra Tamil nationalists exploited the Tamil youth to fight for or support them and dumped them to fend for themselves.
Asian Tribune: 3. The Tamils as well as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are of the opinion that Tamils in the country are treated as the second class citizens. They are of the opinion that the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) the Committee of Experts to advise the APRC on constitutional reform were all farce and after the defeat of the LTTE the APRC Committee and its reports were consigned to the back burner. Even after the Second Rajapaksa regime commenced the President appointed a committee where Professor G.L. Peiris, Minister Nimal Sripala Silva participated on behalf of the Government with the TNA representatives. After nearly 18 rounds of talks, the talks were abruptly ended and now the Government has come up with the Parliamentary Select Committee. The international community as well as the Tamils, and Tamil diaspora are losing confidence in the government. They are of the opinion that the Government has failed win over the confidence of the minority communities in the country. Tell us if there any way by which the government can put its acts together and win the support of the international community in general, Indian Government, the minorities living in this country as well as the Tamil diaspora?
Ethnicity & Political Parties bearing ethnic names & banner
Today, the challenge is how to build a cohesive nation beyond the ethnicities and religions. Sri Lankans cannot suddenly change this situation but can work with the new generation to change the conflict map.Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: The LTTE remnants and its proxy the TNA is spreading propaganda that Tamils are second class citizens. The Tamils are not second class citizens and they will never be. Today, Jaffna is growing at 22% and the rest of the country at 7-8%. Traditionally, over 50% of the Tamils live in the south of the country. Nearly 60% of the population in the capital of Colombo is Tamil and Muslim. The Tamils are hardworking and disciplined - they have done exceptionally well as businessmen, professionals and even as politicians. With greater economic and social development, Tamil communalism will disappear. With no single terrorist attack after the LTTE was dismantled in May 2009, the suspicion and mistrust is replaced with considerable interaction and friendship.
In response to the Sinhala Only Act in 1956, the seeds of separatism grew in the 1960s.
Terrorism as an idea was planted by the Tamil United Front (TUF) and later the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) when they labelled their political opponents as traitors. Historical communal politicians played the race card to in votes but this changed when Prabhakaran entered the equation. Initially, a mere tool for hard-line Tamil nationalists, Tamil New Tigers (TNT) and its successor the LTTE, gradually developed its own momentum. From July 1975-July 1983, 95% of those killed by the TNT/LTTE were Tamil politicians, Tamil government servants and Tamil policemen. A ceremonial military failed to contain the threat and overreacted to terrorist provocations. To capture power, remain in power, and to return to power, parochial and power hungry Sinhala and Tamil politicians preached and instilled communal hatred. A secondary school dropout, Prabhakaran was an instrument of the hardline Tamil nationalists.
Taking the fight out of the political context, Prabhakaran exploited Tamil nationalism to a point where he even killed off his mentors. Amirthalingam and Yogeswaran chose the wrong guy.
Prabhakaran never understood the political game. When Prabhakaran felt deceived and betrayed, he came to them with a vengence. After a few years, the TULF leaders that guided him were not Tamil nationalistic enough for him. The thirty year conflict stimulated communal grievances and passions on both sides. It is not only the Tamils, but every community became more communal and less Sri Lankan in spirit. In the LTTE controlled areas by living in isolation in an extremist circle, the Tamils descended into communalism.
The outlook into the future, ethnicity or religion is not a problem. It is natural to have differences in language, traditions, and in the beliefs and gods worshiped. Today, the challenge is how to build a cohesive nation beyond the ethnicities and religions. Sri Lankans cannot suddenly change this situation but can work with the new generation to change the conflict map. The most promising is to work with the youth, the future generation, who can lead future politics devoid of communalism. The generation growing old and fading away is bad news.
Exposed to hatred, they hold hard views. The youth are energetic, creative and flexible. The youth can appeal to diverse ethnic communities on common challenges. Today, many hundreds of champions of reconciliation are emerging in the north, south, east and west of Sri Lanka – to name a few, Arun Thambimuttu, Sharmila Gunasingham, Prashan de Visser, Salma Yusuf, Manori Unambuwe and Kushil Gunasekera. Their voices and activities of moderation should be supported to drown the voices of extremism, the precursor to terrorism.
To immunize the society from communal and religious extremism, Sri Lanka should enact legislation. It must pass a Harmony Act to promote harmony and a Race and Religion Act to prevent anyone from insulting another’s heritage. Sri Lanka should also bring legislation to outlaw political parties such as Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), TNA and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) - organized along sectarian lines. They emerged during the communal conflict and were designed and developed to look after the interests of specific communities. Deeply embedded in the TNA, a proxy of the LTTE, is a form of Tamil nationalism that may flame another wave of violence in the future.These parties must be carefully watched to ensure that they do not emerge as enemies of reconciliation and a harmonious living.
Asian Tribune: 4. Today the 13th amendment to the constitution is a reality? Why can’t the government come forward to implement the 13th amendment which is enshrined in the country’s constitution?
On the 13th Amendment: Sri Lanka belongs to all communities.
The 13th amendment to the constitution is a byproduct of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord of July 1987. The Accord itself was designed to safeguard India’s interests in Sri Lanka and the Indian army failed in implementing its core mission – the restoration of peace.Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: The 13th amendment to the constitution is a byproduct of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord of July 1987. The Accord itself was designed to safeguard India’s interests in Sri Lanka and the Indian army failed in implementing its core mission – the restoration of peace. This dark period of Sri Lanka’s history culminated in two tragic events. First, the Sri Lankan government led by President Premadasa financing and arming the LTTE and threatening Indian forces to withdraw and the LTTE killing Rajiv Gandhi, the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. Since then, Sri Lanka has moved on and must not be any longer stuck in that dark period.
Unlike big India, small Sri Lanka does not require federal structures to administer its territories. Devolution in the periphery in this domestic and international envirionment will be exploited as a stepping stone to breakup Sri Lanka. It is not only the ground situation but considering the challenges facing New Delhi and developments in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka must not go ahead with the 13th Amendment especially granting land and police powers. Considering inability of Sri Lanka to rely on India as a genuine friend and the increasing LTTE penetration of Tamil Nadu, 13th amendment will only lead to instability.
Today, it is not a secret that the Government of India provided terrorist training to several thousand Sri Lankan terrorists; India voting against Sri Lanka at the UN in Geneva; Tamil Nadu politicians received funds from Nediyawan's TCC in Norway and even encouraged attacks against innocent Sri Lankan visitors to Tamil Nadu, and Tamil Nadu opposition leader Karunanidhi hosted a separatist conference with the aim of generating support to breakup Sri Lanka.
At the heart of LTTE's model of political behavior was deception and ruthlessness. Both these qualities have percolated from the defunct LTTE to its proxy - the TNA. Working with LTTE remnants, a segment of TNA envisages a four step strategy consisting of devolution, non violent public protest campaigns, referendum in the north and east, and foreign diplomatic and/or military intervention.
Today, the Sri Lankan spirit is to create a society where all communities can live in harmony. Sri Lanka belongs to all communities. The country should never be broken into Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim territories. Similarly, no one community should have pride of place. With globalization, Sri Lanka’s future is in multicultural coexistence, moderation and toleration. It is certainly not a place for communities to live in ethnic ghettos incubating and promoting racial and religious hatred. But this vision is still a work in progress and will require awareness, dialogue and the participation of all enlightened elite and their communities.
Asian Tribune: 5. When I visited Sri Lanka last time, I saw the country has turned out to be the dumping ground of the Indian goods. The Army, Navy, Air Force and the Police ar all most using vehicles that are produced in India? The country is flooded a few million autos – three wheelers. All most all the private buses are manufactured in India – Ashok Leyland. Motor Lorries and trucks are from India. Every other product that is on sale is from India? Why Sri Lanka Government has allowed all most all the rubbishes and trashes manufactured in India to be imported into this country and pollute the country’s economic climate and environment?
India should never be the model for Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka should develop trade partners across the world and not only with India.Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: India should never be the model for Sri Lanka. Traditionally, Sri Lanka has enjoyed better indicators in economy, education, health, etc. Today, Sri Lankans are determined to develop their country into one of the most beautiful and prosperous countries. Although it is a work in progress, Sri Lanka has made tremendous headway during the last three years. Today, the cleanest South Asian capital is Colombo. The next phase is to develop Colombo as the region’s garden city. In pursuit of excellence, Sri Lanka should ensure that it attracts the best tourists, engages the best investors and procures the best goods. Sri Lanka should develop trade partners across the world and not only with India.
Asian Tribune: Today there is a Deputy Indian High Commissioners office in Hambantota, as well as another one in Jaffna. From the early days we are having one in Kandy. There is a High Commission office in Colombo. It is reliably rumored that there are more than 25 to 30 full time RAW (Research Analysis Wing) Operatives attached to these Indian diplomatic missions and are involved in spying and in anti-Government activities. What is our National Intelligence Agency doing to curb this menace?
Indian Spy Galore In Sri Lanka
As the West is in economic decline, ‘Sri Lanka’s friendship with China is driven by the imperative to build its economy and not to encircle India or to challenge the West.’ However, this message has not been adequately conveyed to New Delhi.Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: Today, the geopolitical realities have changed and Sri Lanka must develop a multifaceted foreign policy. Traditionally, Sri Lanka was aligned either with the West or East. With economic liberalization by J.R. Jayewardene, who came to office in July 1977, and until the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka in May 2009, Sri Lanka was pro-West. New Delhi perceived that Sri Lanka had stepped out of the non aligned orbit. India itself was within the Soviet sphere of influence and perceived that Sri Lanka will be used by the West especially the US to destabilize India. Sri Lanka had no such intentions, but India misperceived Sri Lanka’s growing economic relationship with the West as a military alliance. At the request of Indira Gandhi, India’s foreign intelligence service the Research and Analysis Wing started to arm, train, and finance and direct the LTTE and other militant groups in Sri Lanka. After the end of the Cold War in 1990, India moved away from being a friend of the USSR to becoming a darling of the US. Once again, India and the US perceive that Sri Lanka has built an alliance with the Chinese. As the West is in economic decline, Sri Lanka’s friendship with China is driven by the imperative to build its economy and not to encircle India or to challenge the West. However, this message has not been adequately conveyed to New Delhi. It is essential to do so to prevent growing suspicions in India about Sri Lanka. With global strategic alignments changing, India, US, West, Japan Australia will form one axis and China, Pakistan, Russia and Iran will form another axis. Sri Lanka should develop a foreign policy with enmity to none and friendship to all especially to India, US, and Europe. In the backdrop of an emerging multipolor world, a multifaceted foreign policy is crucial.
Asian Tribune 7. It is being pointed out that the Sri Lanka’s National Intelligence Agency is outdated and outmoded. It is being said that the Agency has to be brought under an official who holds a permanent position in any of the armed forces or under an officer who holds a permanent position in Public Service. Tell us how we can reorganize the National Intelligence Agency adapting to post conflict era?
Sri Lanka’s National Intelligence Agency – Outdate & outmoded
First, increase the strength of the national, police and military intelligence services, second, create a dedicated national security university for law enforcement and intelligence personnel, third, recruit more Tamil and Muslim officers, and increase the number of women.Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: The staff of Sri Lanka’s intelligence and investigative agencies are among the best in the world. They have been trained in the US, UK, Israel and elsewhere. For instance, Colonel Nizam Muthalif, the commanding officer of the Military Intelligence Corp killed by the LTTE during the LTTE-Sri Lanka government ceasefire on May 31, 2005 was trained at the Huachuca Military Intelligence School in the US. Their capacity to operate both in Sri Lanka and overseas should never be underestimated. Certainly, there can be improvements but they are far superior to others in the region and comparable to the best in the West and in Israel. Improvements are needed in three areas. First, increase the strength of the national, police and military intelligence services, second, create a dedicated national security university for law enforcement and intelligence personnel, third, recruit more Tamil and Muslim officers, and increase the number of women.
Asian Tribune 8. Do you think a State should have an official language and an official religion? What is the good in promoting Buddhism and give Buddhism the foremost place and the state protecting and fostering Buddha Sasana? In fact Lord Buddha was an atheist and he revolted against Brahmanism and that is how he became a Buddha. It was the Mahavamsa mindset which made a virtue of killing in defense of Buddhism in its panegyric of the victories of the Sinhalese over the Tamils and this mindset is the stumbling block of reconciliation in the country?
Official Language - Sinhla, Official Religion – Buddhism and Greater Dravidastan
Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: The Buddha was not an atheist but a non-theist. The Buddhist teachings proposed an alternative view of life and a way of life to the contemporary Brahmanism at the time. Every country has its official language and official religion, Sri Lanka need not be any different. Sri Lanka currently has two official languages Sinhala and Tamil with English as the link language. What is important is not to use any language, class, caste or religious status discriminatorily.
The greatest heritage Sri Lanka inherited was 2500 years of communal and religious harmony.
Historically, Sinhalese and Tamils married each other, spoke each other’s languages and worshipped each other’s Gods. Muslim men who travelled for trade married both Sinhalese and Tamil women. Sinhalese politicians like SWRD Bandaranaike who disrupted the communal harmony did it for votes. When a reporter asked “Mr. Prime Minister, the introduction of Sinhalese as the official language by your government appears to damage the good relations which previously existed between Sinhalese and Tamils. How do you justify this?” Bandaranaike responded: “Well when our country became independent naturally the question arose of a national language superseding English as the official language of the country. Sinhalese, we decided upon the official language. 70% of the people of Ceylon are Sinhalese. At the same time we naturally doing, realized that the Tamil minority for the language that was also old, very rich language in literature so on and therefore we decided also to give a reasonable use to the Tamil language as a language of a national minority for such matters as education, examinations for the public service, correspondence and so on. We feel that is the fairest way in which the problem could be settled.” It did not happen.
Sri Lanka’s tragedy offers many lessons to the world. One should never place, his or her community above humanity. Anyone who loves his religion or ethnic community should remain in the mainstream and not go to the extreme to protect or preserve it. Religion and ethnicities are very private and should not be politicized. By bringing the Sinhala Only Act, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike did more damage to Sinhala, to his country and to Sinhalese more than anyone else. Similarly, Prabhakaran, a Tamil fanatic like Thirumavalavan, Ramdoss, Seeman, Nedumaran or Vaiko, inflicted sustained and severe suffering on the Tamils. This fanaticism spilled over to Sri Lanka from Tamil Nadu. Driven by Tamil nationalism, the separatist campaign in Tamil Nadu persisted from the 1940s-1960s and may revive at a future date. Tamil Nadu politicians have not yet given up the idea of a greater Dravidastan.
Asian Tribune9. You may be aware that as my contribution to fight the terrorism I managed to close down three TV stations belonging to the terrorists and about five radio stations. The terrorist supporter/s living in Norway and other parts of the world filed cases against me to silence me. Unfortunately while the terrorists and their supporters were trying to squeeze my throat the Sri Lanka Government has come up with engaging the worst terrorists like K.P., Daya Master, Karuna Amman and many others. These people fought the Government, unfortunately now the Government has come up to engage them. Karuna Amman has been rewarded with the Party list MP twice as well as the position of Deputy Minister. Why? Do you think that the Government is of the opinion that they can change the stripes of these once sworn LTTE leading members?
Yesterday’s Die-hard Enemies – Today’s Messengers of Ethnic Reconciliation
It is true that KP and his deputy Ponniah Anandarajah shipped tens of thousands of tons of arms, ammunition and explosives from North Korea, Karuna ordered the execution of 600 policemen who surrendered, and Daya Master created and managed the media platforms to socialize tens of thousands of Tamils into enjoying, supporting and donating to violence.Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: One should have no hatred towards Prabhakaran, KP, Daya Master, or Karuna. They are all victims of a vicious ideology of an extreme form of Tamil nationalism. The form of Tamil nationalism promoted was not from Sri Lanka. The virus was alien, exported and as eventually rejected by the Tamil community. Traditionally, Sri Lankan Tamils have been very respectable, god fearing and disciplined. The Tamils lived side by side with Sinhalese and Muslims. Likewise, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam existed side by side with Hinduism. Until the 1980s, the presence of Sinhalese in the north and east and the presence to date of Buddhist monuments and other artifacts is testimony to the rich and diverse heritage.
The TUF/TULF abandoned the traditional Tamil values of respect for life when its leaders started to call their political opponents traitors. The TNT/LTTE was the main instrument of Tamil nationalism advocated by TUF/TUF. With momentum, the LTTE turned even more fanatical disbanding all Tamil parties. The intolerance peaked when the LTTE ethnically cleansed the north of the Tamils and Sinhalese; murdered devotees and attacked the most sacred shrines such as the Sri Maha Bodhiya, Temple of the Tooth, Meera Jumma and Husseniya Mosques to provoke riots; conducted large scale massacres of border villagers; and set off bombs killing hundreds of civilians. It is true that KP and his deputy Ponniah Anandarajah shipped tens of thousands of tons of arms, ammunition and explosives from North Korea, Karuna ordered the execution of 600 policemen who surrendered, and Daya Master created and managed the media platforms to socialize tens of thousands of Tamils into enjoying, supporting and donating to violence. Today, most LTTE cadres have repented, expressed remorse, rejected violence, and embraced peace.
Asian Tribune: 10. Americans in the guise of free expression has come up with critical version of Islam and this has brought unrest in the Middle East and other regions. I can recall that Europe was involved earlier with 100 years of religious war with the Muslims and even though the war was over it is continuing at regular interval by attacking the Muslims and their faith ‘Islam’ by the West in the guise of ‘Free Speech’ and ‘Free expression’. Today the Europeans are trying to humiliate the Muslims and their faith and this is a beginning to create unrest in Europe and it is feared that Muslims might in the years to come work systematically to destabilize many European countries. Your comment?
Islam and Free Speech & Free Expression of the West
In the backdrop of the Arab Spring, the release of the trailer “Innocence of Muslims” is beginning to shape the new global security landscape.Prof. Rohan Gunaratne: In the backdrop of the Arab Spring, the release of the trailer “Innocence of Muslims” is beginning to shape the new global security landscape. While social media fostered the Arab Spring, replacing long-established dictatorships, as a purveyor of provocation, the trailer enraged Muslims. The trailer sparked anti-US riots and attacks worldwide taking the lives of Muslims and non-Muslims.
On September 11, 2012, a group of heavily armed men taking cover of the protesters attacked the US Consulate in Benghazi, Eastern Libya, killing the US Ambassador J Christopher Stephens and his associates. A female suicide bomber killed 12 including foreigners in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan on September 18, 2012. The demonstrations and violence continues.
Al Qaeda and its associated groups were marginalized during the Arab Spring. The very announcement of the film and the release of the trailer on You-Tube was a great boost of support for the violent and radical groups. Today, both on-line and off-line, they continue to exploit the Muslim suffering, resentment, anger at the release of the trailer.
- Asian Tribune -
