Thoughts of a pessimist

Younis Khan certainly has got a point. Read his side of the story here. Need of the hour of those terrorists is to isolate Pakistan from the rest of the world. By not sending sports teams there, the rest of the world does just that, don’t they? I have seen some angry comments in the aftermath of the frightening attack on the Sri Lankan Cricket team. Most of them were urging to intensify the fight against terrorism but as usual, I think they’ve got their point wrong.

It is quite obvious that there has been a massive lapse in security arrangements which set the platform for those terrorists go on a killing spree. This attack certainly could have been avoided had the responsible authorities been on high alert. (I don’t think such an attack would ever be possible in Colombo; our authorities will shut down the entire city if needed to ensure the safety of the dignitaries they are responsible for) But haven’t we given into the terrorists by cancelling the tour and putting all future sports activities in doubt in that country? I don’t know if I would think the same had I been in that situation, but looking from outside we have done exactly what those terrorists wanted.

Being a nation which has suffered from terrorism for nearly 3 decades, we have so many examples of giving into terrorists. When they wanted to prove that we are a barbaric nation, we did exactly the same by launching a ruthless attack on innocent Tamils in 1983. When they wanted to get away from the political solution provided through Provincial Councils, we did exactly the same by running riots against it in South. When they wanted to run away from negotiation table, we paved the way by running out of patience.

When terrorists wanted to eliminate political leaders whom they accurately figured out as future threats, we gave into them by isolating and exposing those leaders. When terrorists wanted certain political leaders to lose elections, we gave into them by defeating those leaders. When terrorists wanted certain individuals to be the leaders of this country, we did exactly the same by electing them. When they wanted to drag us into a war, we did the same from the other end.

Terrorists are involved in those brutal acts either because they have been misled by someone or because they genuinely believe that it’s the way to solve whatever the problem they have. But killing them one by one would only push them deep into that wrong track. Acting the way they act or falling into their trap by doing what they want us to do would only deepen the problem. On the other hand, when a terrorist doesn’t hold a firearm how do you distinguish that person from an innocent civilian? So where the fight against terrorism that everyone is so pumped up about would end?