Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind

"Terrorism anywhere is terrorism everywhere"

by Jeanne Jayasinghe

(December 05, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) Events in Mumbai this week is a warning to leaders of all those countries that have stood silent and inactive in the face of repeated terrorist attacks over the years in Sri Lanka. To those countries that actively supported terrorism in Sri Lanka and are still providing encouragement to them, it is more than a warning – it is a sign of things to come.

For India was the country that unleashed the dogs of a terrorist war – disguised as a liberation struggle – on Sri Lanka for political reasons. The mantle was then taken over by Norway to actively support and succour the terrorists supplying them with state of the art equipment and knowhow to fight against a legitimately and democratically elected government.

Then there were the other countries, Britain, Canada and to some extent Australia that stood by silent and allowed terrorist supporters to collect vast amounts of money in these countries to fuel the war that was making victims of innocent civilians, mums, babies and senior citizens – most of whom were cut down while they slept – not even aware that they were attacked by ruthless terrorists who were bent on ethnically cleansing villages of a population that had lived in these areas for generations. Other countries like Thailand, Israel, and South Africa – all chipped in to do their bit by supplying weapons and equipment joined into make this terrorist organisation wealthy and powerful.

While using their baby brigade and women to carry out suicide attacks on Sri Lanka’s people and infrastructure, the "big-wigs" of the LTTE, those who received training and knowhow from foreign experts, have now themselves become experts – in terror. So much so, that now – after 9/11, after the London and Madrid bombings, after the disturbances in Pakistan it has come home to roost in India.

The growth of the LTTE from a guerrilla terrorist outfit to a formidable and ruthless terrorist organisation with wealth through its ships and ‘legitimate’ business enterprises has now evolved into another phase.

The LTTE has now become the "Gurus" for all other terror organisations that have mushroomed everywhere. The suicide vest developed by them, the method of using vehicles as bombs to be used against large targets, the mines and artillery they have manufactured to cause maximum devastation are now being "exported" to the new terror outfits. They may even be lending their own ships to transport these items and their expertise at smuggling weapons is something else they can sell. Indeed, the LTTE has been seen providing training to members of Al Qaida and other groups.

Those who follow Islam have earned for themselves the reputation of being extremist and fanatical. As a result, when a terror organisation acts in the name of Islam, the whole world sits up and takes notice, while Tamil tiger terrorism goes unheeded or unheard. While the Islamic terror groups pick on Westerners – British, American and Europeans, the Tamil tigers have only being killing other Tamils or the Sinhalese.

Although the LTTE have been canny enough not to kill or even wound Westerners, they have been using other groups to do their dirty work for them via the bombs set off in London and Madrid and the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers.

Had the world listened to Sri Lanka’s pleas for help with the Tamil Tiger terrorism, had the world even heard the words of the late Mr. Lakshman Kadragamar who in his address to the UN General Assembly stated: "Terrorism anywhere is terrorism everywhere", India may not have had to experience the devastation in Mumbai, London may not have had a terror attack on the transport systems, Madrid may not have faced a devastating attack on the morning train and there may not have been a 9/11 in 2001.

If only they had heard Sri Lanka’s pleas, having sown the wind, they may not be reaping the whirlwind today. - Sri Lanka Guardian