Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bomb blasts: It is an attack on humanity

An effective measure to stop terrorists is to cut their sources of revenue and disrupt logistics. The counter-terrorism strategy should be based on four strands: prevent, protect, pursue and respond – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara 

By Anwar A. Khan

Churches and hotels in Sri Lanka were hit by bomb explosions on Easter Sunday. We are born to die, but not in this demonic way. My heart is crushed.

The death toll in the Easter Sunday terror bombings climbs to more than 400 and counting with hundreds more wounded. It is a devastating news for people across the world. I cannot imagine a human being could target the peaceful people on their celebration day. Those terrorists’ perverted disposition goes against the teachings of all religions. 

This news from Sri Lanka is horrifying. My heart goes out to all victims and their families. So many were people attending church on one of the holiest of days, I am absolutely sickened. It is an attack on humanity. On a day devoted to love, redemption, and renewal, we pray for the victims and stand with the people of Sri Lanka.

There is no doubt that these attacks are the work of cowardly and despicable criminals who want to sow conflict and tear the world apart without any regard to innocent people.

These attacks are another reason why we must always stand together and stand firm against all forms of violent extremism, whether they occur a half a world away or here Sri Lanka or elsewhere.

We should achieve unity and continue to better ourselves by constantly making an effort to understand each other and respect our differences. We must speak loudly and forcefully against the kind of extremism that is behind the bloodshed in Sri Lanka.

Again I must say I am heartbroken for the people of Sri Lanka.

There are no words that could possibly bring comfort or understanding at times like these – I can only offer my deepest sorrow and love along with the millions of others mourning for Sri Lankans. That is not also enough. Sri Lankan Government must find out the real perpetrators to send them to the gallows.

When I visited the country five years ago, I found it a beautiful place with beautiful people. Sri Lanka, my heart is with you. I am praying for everyone affected by this horrible tragedy. This is insanity. Stay strong.

The world to join hands in the fight against terrorism, terms it an evil and a terrible scourge that should be wiped out completely from the face of the earth.

The right to the freedom of worship is a fundamental right. No political or other cause can justify or excuse the bombing of people at worship or simply going about their daily lives. The Sri Lankan attacks and a recent attack on a mosque in New Zealand are a challenge to us all to protect everyone’s freedom of religion and belief. Places of worship and other places must be places of peace, free from fear.

These people are our sisters and brothers. We stand in solidarity with them and they with us. Together we are one family of the resurrection. Such acts of violence on the Easter holy day are acts of violence against all beliefs and denominations, and against all those who value the freedom of religion and the choice to worship.

A series of explosions were reported at three churches, three hotels and two other places in several cities in Sri Lanka, including the capital Colombo. At least 207 people, including several foreign nationals, have been killed and more than 500 wounded in the bombings. The church bombings occurred during Easter Mass in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo while the three hotels targeted were the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury hotels in Colombo.

As terrorist groups change tactics, any government must understandably adjust their antiterrorism efforts. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders – including governments, regional bodies, militaries, and civil society organisations to ensure that adopted antiterrorism efforts must continue.

An effective measure to stop terrorists is to cut their sources of revenue and disrupt logistics. The counter-terrorism strategy should be based on four strands: prevent, protect, pursue and respond. Our vision is to be secured and resilient nations that effectively prevents terrorism in ways that preserve our freedom and prosperity.

Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres’ words are of immense signification: “Our responsibility is to unite to build a world of peace and security, dignity and opportunity for all people, everywhere, so we can deprive the violent extremists of the fuel they need to spread their hateful ideologies.”

Reinforcing internal security and the fight against terrorism

Establish protection perimeters in order to ensure security at events or in particularly vulnerable places. The visual bag inspections and security frisking by private security agents, under the supervision of police officers. Internal security forces will also be able to search vehicles. If any person does not submit to checks, he or she will be denied access or removed from the security perimeter. 

Allow the closure of places of worship when ‘words, writings, activities, ideas or theories’ that incite or endorse terrorism, and incitement ‘to hatred and discrimination’ are used there. In order to regulate the use of this power, a prior adversarial procedure is to be provided for as well as a time limit allowing an interim order application to be lodged before an administrative judge.   

Allow the administrative authority to put in place administrative controls and individual monitoring measures against any person in respect of whom there is serious reason to believe their behaviour constitutes a particularly serious threat and who enters into regular contact with individuals or organisations with terrorist intent or who supports or adheres to views that incite terrorism. 

This measure is less restrictive than house arrest, but is sufficient to ensure effective monitoring. It may be accompanied by the obligation to report once a day to the police unit and may be renewed for three months if new or additional information is presented. The person may be exempted from this daily obligation to report if they agree to be placed under electronic surveillance.   

Allow appropriate authorities to order, only with the prior authorisation of the judge supervising releases and detention, the entry and search of any place if there is serious reason to believe it is being frequented by a person posing a terrorist threat or who is in contact with such persons.

The ability to carry out administrative investigations for civil servants in positions of authority and who pose a risk of radicalisation, and where necessary, to take appropriate action, either by transferring, suspending or removing the person(s) concerned.

Establish a new legal regime for monitoring wireless communications.

Members of terrorist cells need to gather weapons, use various forms of communication, and coordinate among each other. A proper intelligence network has an established network of agents who gather intelligence among target populations from which terrorists come. They know how to identify signs and situations that indicate terrorist activity. In order to carry out successful intelligence gathering, agents must have an extremely advanced familiarity with the area and communities they are dealing with. They need to know what the problematic aspects are, and which areas have the potential to become problematic and become breeding grounds for terrorism.

Security agents need to be able to accurately map out populations, to recruit and handle agents as well technological surveillance equipment, to arrest and interrogate suspects and monitor suspicious internet activity.

All of this human and technological activity must be approved as legal before it can be carried out. Huge amounts of information are constantly being transmitted and technological systems are always being updated. This information is then examined by a number of different security agencies so that it can be crosschecked and verified before being used.

The main problem intelligence organisations in countries like us are up against is a lack of professional manpower and necessary technological resources. A number of countries have to be involved in intense struggles with terrorist organisations.

Modern day terrorism is not a national struggle for independence, but a murderous struggle carried out by religious fanatics who are fighting and willing to die for their principles. In the absence of appropriate legislation and supportive information systems, it is almost impossible to manage this type of struggle. It may be easier to track these terrorist cells by using a combination of technological and human surveillance.

Again, we are very sympathetic to the pain of those affected in Sri Lanka and in solidarity with Sri Lankans.

Noted columnist Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratnethe has written, “The ultimate recommendation that the State should encourage entities involved with or responsible for the implementation of various aspects of the national security program to identify their critical information and communications technology systems and data, including threats and vulnerabilities thereto, and to develop and implement protective measures to include, inter alia, security by design, supply chain security, network separation, and remote access control, as appropriate” and Bangladesh’s government should take some lessons from the terror attacks in New Zealand and Sri Lanka to prevent any such deadening attack or bomb blast in the country.

(The writer is a senior citizen of Bangladesh, writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs.)