Daily News Editorial

Combatting terrorism and extremism

Monday 16th November 2015

The massive terrorist attack in Paris on Friday night in which around 130 people were killed and close to 300 injured shocked the entire world. The abominable terror group ISIS (Islamic State) has claimed responsibility for the brutal Black Friday attacks, staged more or less one year after the killings at the offices of the satire publication Charlie Hebdo in Paris. It also comes just a couple of weeks after a suspected terrorist bomb apparently planted by the ISIS brought down a Russian airliner over Egypt killing all 224 people on board.

We in Sri Lanka are no strangers to terror attacks targeting innocent civilians. Having suffered for 30 long years from the devastating effects of terrorism, we Sri Lankans can instantly identify with the suffering and anguish of all Parisians and French people at this hour of grief. In fact, this fact was alluded to in the messages sent by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to their French counterparts.

Terrorism in any form is abhorrent, but the brand of terrorism practiced by the ISIS borders on the extreme to the extent that even other terror groups have distanced themselves from it. The barbaric practices of the ISIS have nothing to do with the teachings with Prophet Mohammed, the Holy Koran or Islam itself. It is just an extremist ideology aimed at wiping out all those who do not support its point of view, including Muslims themselves. From beheadings of aid workers, journalists and Christians in Syria to the destruction of ancient and priceless artefacts in the Muslim world, the horrifying acts of ISIS have galvanized the world to wipe out terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Indeed, that is the response available to the international community at this point. The world must get together to eradicate the cancer of ISIS and other like-minded terror organisations. The two major powers – the US and Russia, which are now attacking the ISIS separately mainly by air – must leave aside any differences they have over the Assad regime in Syria to jointly tackle this threat to our very civilization. It is up to the international community to decide whether ground forces (“bootson the ground”) are also needed to combat the ISIS. France has vowed that it will be ruthless in its response to the ISIS and indeed, all other countries, directly affected by the ISIS or not, must think in the same manner.

ISIS is the very symbol of extremism and intolerance, which is a blight on our civilized way of life. ISIS and its ilk simply do not tolerate other points of view. In Sri Lanka which is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country, tolerance is the very basis of our 2,500 year-old culture. Unfortunately, the opposite of tolerance – intolerance – led to a devastating conflict that raged on for nearly 30 years in our country. Conflicts happen when two parties do not respect or tolerate each other’s rights. We have all paid a very heavy price for intolerance.

Today, we have an opportunity to focus on the virtues of tolerance, on the International Day for Tolerance. The United Nations has recognized this day since 1996. On the day of its fiftieth anniversary, November 16, 1995, UNESCO's Member States adopted a Declaration on Principles of Tolerance. (Incidentally, UNESCO turns 70 today). It is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe.

According to the dictionary definition, tolerance is “a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, beliefs, practices, racial or ethnic origins, etc., differ from one's own”. Today, intolerance is unfortunately on the rise almost everywhere in the world. We are alarmed by the current rise in acts of intolerance, violence, terrorism, xenophobia, aggressive nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism, exclusion, marginalization and discrimination directed against national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, refugees, migrant workers, immigrants and vulnerable groups within societies, as well as acts of violence and intimidation committed against individuals exercising their freedom of opinion and expression – all of which threaten the consolidation of peace and democracy, both nationally and internationally. Sri Lanka is a prime example for a country that must depend on and practice tolerance.

However, sometimes awareness is not enough and States have to implement various laws to stamp out intolerance. Terrorism happens to be an extreme form of intolerance and the international community must strengthen anti-terrorism laws and actions through the UN Security Council. International cooperation is essential in this sphere now more than ever. Terrorism must be rooted out for peace to return to the wider world.