Global Fight Against Terror Suffers Because of US Attitude

The treat given by an Al-Qa'ida member to blow up a US plane proves that the dangerous possibility of terrorist attacks is still threatening the country despite all efforts. This incident further exposes the US failure to curb terrorism within its territory even though it is leading the international campaign against terrorism.
Suitable Opportunity
It is true that there has been no major attack in the United States after the 9/11 incident. Yet, it cannot be denied that terrorists are looking for a suitable opportunity. They even try to strike occasionally. It is also clear now that terrorist organizations have started raising a terrorist army within the country itself. Apart from the United Kingdom and the United States, many terrorists who have been traced in the Western countries were brought up in these countries. Some of them have even undergone higher education. Only recently five US citizens of Pakistan origin were arrested near Lahore. They had come to receive training on terrorism.
The young man of Nigerian origin who was arrested for trying to blow up a Delta Airlines plane of the United States had received education in Britain. He is also connected with Al-Qa'ida. It is, therefore, quite evident that notwithstanding all restrictions imposed from time to time, terrorist organizations have managed to attract Muslim youths to the so-called crusade.
Frustrating Terrorist Ambitions
The United States cannot rest content just by claiming that it has succeeded in frustrating terrorist ambitions on its soil. In other parts of the world terrorism is spreading rather than being restricted. Barack Obama was expected to reconsider the US strategy on terrorism on assuming office. But this hope was soon belied. Barring a few positive statements the US administration is more or less following its old policy on terrorism.
There are enough reasons to believe that it is only assuring the protection of its own interests as far as the campaign launched by it against terrorism and described as "international", is concerned. As a result, minimum coordination among the different countries participating in this campaign is lacking.
Missing Target
This lacuna has made the task of terrorists earlier. Any big mistake can be made in such circumstances. It was by sheer luck that the terrorist of Nigerian origin Omar Farooq Abdul Multalat was seized just in time. He had managed to enter the United States in spite of being on its list of suspects. It is also a fact that Indian intelligence agencies have not been given the necessary information on David Headley who is believed to have been involved in the 26 November 2008, Mumbai attacks. India is even being made to wait for a sample of its voice. In this situation, how can it be assumed that the United Sates is actually willing to join other countries to fight terrorism?

Growing Problems in Pakistan: Will the Country Recover?

The uninterrupted provision of basic amenities of life to people has always been the foremost duty of a responsible government of any country.
How far the Pakistani Government has been successful in fulfilling this obligation, can be well gauged from the faces of the poor masses. Power outages had already made the life difficult for the people in scorching heat and now the petrol shortage has created another crisis for them. According to reports, most of the filling stations in several big and small cities of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir (Pakistan-administered Kashmir), right from Karachi to Lahore and Muzaffarabad have been either closed or long queues of vehicles can be seen there because of acute shortage of gas, and people are scuffling for a few liters of gas. Instead of controlling the situation, the administration, is acting like a silent spectator. Taking advantage of this state of affairs, the profiteers have started selling gas in black and they are charging up to 200 rupees (Pre) per liter.
Hike in Prices of Essential Commodities
This situation has badly affected the public transport on one hand while on the other, most of taxi and rickshaw drivers are being rendered unemployed. If this situation persists for long, transportation of vegetables, fruits and other edible items would be blocked, which would further add to the price spiral which has already affected the common folk, and the prices of essential commodities will go out of people's reach.
Shortage of petrol is not the first issue which the people have witnessed in about three and half years of the incumbent government in office. The government has already imposed up to five days off for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) a week. Gas outages, which have been witnessed in winter in the past, have now become a daily routine even in summer season. During diesel shortage, the government instead of overcoming its shortage, had started closing trains.
Power, gas, petrol, and diesel, etc., are important sources of energy, and the standards of development of the United States, Japan, Germany, and other industrialized countries are determined on the basis of how much energy per head is being used. No curtailment is allowed in this ratio at any cost.
Energy Crisis
Pakistan has always been confronted with energy crisis because of incompetence of successive governments. That is why the country could not make strides in development. Billions of rupees were wasted in efforts for the acquisition of rental power. Talks are also underway for purchase of 70 MW power from Iran, whereas India has also offered to sell its power.
The Pakistani people can meet their needs by availing these offers, but lack of decisionmaking power appears to be the main impediment in this regard. There exist vast prospects of hydel power generation in the country, which are not being utilized under one pretext or the other. The Karachi Electric Supply Corporation had the capacity to produce enough power to meet needs of the city, but it could not produce the required power because of mismanagement and undue interference by influential people. After futile experiments spreading over decades, the corporation was disinvested, but even then the issue could not be resolved and Karachi remains plunged into darkness, today.
Instead of enhancing power generation, the government is increasing its tariff, which has sky rocketed during the past three years. Petrol and gas can also be imported from Iran, but the government is reluctant to do so because of the US pressure. Central Asian Republics particularly Tajikistan also want to provide gas and power to Pakistan, but the government is not ready to accept any such offer. The government could not convince its big organizations to clear the dues of service providers in time, and this situation adds to problems with every passing day and ultimately the people have to face the consequences.
For instance, refineries refine the oil and later, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) distributes the commodity. In order to run the refineries, it is necessary that the PSO pays their dues in time, otherwise, it would affect the oil supply. Similarly, there are many other organizations whose production and distribution depend on each other. The government does not control the payment issues. That is why, the supply line does not remain in tact and the shortage of an item crops up. It further increases the prices of items of daily use and overburdens the common man. Contrary to the government's claims, the people are at present faced with serious problems. Price hike, security situation, and unemployment have made their lives difficult.
According to the figures released by federal statistics division, sugar registered an increase of 152 percent, meat 88 percent, wheat 46 percent, milk 86 percent, and pulses 122 percent during the past three years. The number of people living below the poverty line which was 28.4 percent in 2008, rose to 41.2 percent in 2011. It reveals that the number of poor has risen from 47.5 million to 72.5 million during the last three and a half years. These are the people who do not know whether they would be to get the second time meal or not. Those deciding their fate while sitting in their air-conditioned offices do not know about the difficulties poor workers in factories, shops, and other places have to face during power shutdowns.
The people do not want the government to go. Instead of removal of the government, they want resolution of their problems, but if the government continued to entangle them in the marsh of such problems, the day is not far off when the people will take to streets for the solution of their basic problems. If God forbid, this happened, bloodletting will be witnessed on the roads and a bloody revolution will take place.
Tough Time Ahead
The common people will, therefore, once again appeal to the government to focus on its obligations and prove by its performance that it has the capability to run the country and lead the nation. For this purpose, instead of perpetuating its rule, the government will have to resolve basic problems of people. The rulers must not ignore the real problems under the garb of political stunt of taking along all stakeholders. You rulers have come to power with the majority vote of the people. Irrespective of whether someone supports you or not, you must focus your attention on steering the nation out of the present challenges in accordance with the mandate the people have given to you. Your real responsibility is not to take all the stakeholders along, but to resolve problems of the people as per your manifesto. And your performance during the past three years cannot be regarded as satisfactory in any sense.

Disclosure of Tamil Homeland Myth

International pressure exerted on the Sri Lankan Government seems to be of no small measure when focusing on the issues regarding the alleged human rights violations leveled against the country. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has proposed that a special three-member committee should be appointed to investigate into the said violations of human rights and war crimes allegedly committed by the Sri Lanka Army. Subsequent to this, the US State Department also submitted report on human rights violations said to be committed by the Sri Lankan Government.
These two issues cannot be easily and lightly discarded. Although the Sri Lankan Government protested against these measures, it is has still not understood the next turn of affairs. When Sri Lanka was frequently accused of abusing human rights, the government raises another question instead of producing an answer. It is why the United Nations, which was never, concerned about the human rights violations of the United States Army in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel and also in some middle-eastern countries, is now overtly concerned about probing into 'supposed' human rights violations committed by the Sri Lanka Army. When the United States question about rights violations in Sri Lanka, the government in turn asks why the US State Department does not speaks about crimes committed against ordinary civilians when the US Army launch attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq.
Solutions to Challenges
After ending Prabhakaran's terrorism, the solutions to challenges faced by Sri Lanka lies within the counter charges of the government based on the same issue. To maintain cordial international relations, four vital points are identified in political science.
1. To reach conscientious through discussions.
2. Offering grants.
3. Imposing embargoes.
4. Stabilizing domination.
United States and other 'powerful' countries apply all four measures at different stages towards poor and less affluent countries. The way in which the United States intervened in Iraq could be quoted as a clear example. The US intervened initially in Iraq with an accusing finger. The UN intervened to investigate nuclear 'arms factory' in Iraq consequent to US allegations. However, Iraq permitted the UN monitors to carryout their inspections under a 'controlled' situation. Then the US and the UN claimed that Iraq abandoned on its own accord the opportunity of coming to an agreement through negotiations. Subsequently, economic embargoes were imposed on Iraq and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces invaded the country. Thereby Iraq was subjected to two international strategies, i.e., imposing embargoes and stabilizing domination.
The entire world today accepts the fact that there were no nuclear arms in Iraq. Had Iraq being able to convince initially by settling the issue through discussion then it would not have paved the way for the NATO forces to invade the country.
Eradicating Islam Fundamentalism
However, a question arises here if Iraq had convinced the international community that they did not possess nuclear arms, would the NATO forces have invaded Iraq? The world at large is aware that the motive of the western camp led by the United States in projecting Iraq's possession of nuclear arms, was only an excuse to invade the land and not for any other purpose. However, the US gave a clear persuading theory internationally to justify their move, namely the US opinion on Islam fundamentalism. The United States successfully convinced the global community that their stance is eradicating Islam fundamentalism from the face of the earth. If any questions are raised on US attacking Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, the response should be based on this standpoint. It was due to the US adopting such a policy on Islam terrorism that a leading Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan was questioned at the US airport on his entry to the country, because his name was Khan.
Sri Lanka too should resort to US course of action when facing the present challenging situation. It should essentially not follow the mistake committed by Iraq under similar circumstances. In the struggle by Tamil communalists projecting the image of a Tamil Eelam state, the defeated faction was the combat arm of the movement. Although Western pressure was exerted on the government during its fight against these combatants or in other words Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the Mahinda Rajapakse government was prudent enough to use good judgment on the face of such pressure. A state policy was in place which gave the military, authority to intensify its war strategies, which ultimately defeated the LTTE. The plan was well formulated and western and global powers could not directly intervene in the operations. The stance of the government was, "A terrorist must be answered in his own language." Although the global powers nurtured the LTTE as their pet in the Indian Ocean region, conspired to salvage them, they could not find room to directly intervene in the government machinery. This was the Sri Lankan policy projected internationally, regarding eradication of the LTTE in the country. This is equal to US's policy projected globally, regarding Islam extremists.
Eradicating Terrorism
The same positive approach Sri Lanka pursued in eradicating terrorism should be shown in dealings with the accusations emitted by the West. At present, although the LTTE terrorism or the armed Tamil extremists are extinct, Tamil communalism is actively evident. Tamil communalists led by Rudrakumaran, domiciled in the US, are now attempting to establish an Eelam state in exile. The Global Tamil Forum which met in Britain hopes to establish Eelam (a separate state) in Sri Lanka by adopting various other measures other than terrorism. Sri Lanka is now facing this challenge. Here again the country should resort to its policy adopted when it defeated the LTTE. The country was able to crush the LTTE, by placing the eradication of terrorism as a government policy and bringing to world to its senses. It did not directly yield to any international pressure. If the Mahinda Rajapakse government did not adopt this steady and unwavering attitude towards the LTTE, it would never have been possible to defeat the outfit. A clear example is the tenure of Chandrika Kumaratunga's regime. During this period, the Sri Lankan Government's policy only showed the global community, the foolishness of its agenda by launching military operations and on the other hand talking of peace. Sri Lanka projected to the world that its policy is launching limited military offensives is a necessity prior to commencement of negotiations. Accordingly, the offensives were launched not to defeat terrorism but to hold discussions with the terrorists, in order to form a separate state or in other words a federal administration. If the same policy was adopted by the Rajapakse government, Prabhakaran would still be among the living.
In this instance, the government should take an example from its own strategy followed to annihilate the LTTE. The demand for an Eelam or separate state by Tamil communalists is based on the myth of Tamil homeland concept. Even Nelam Tiruchelvam identified the Tamil aspirations of Tamils from the platform of the so-called Tamil homeland. The government should respond to the pressures exerted by Eelamists and Western governments by disclosing to the world, by destroying the myth of the Tamil homeland. When this is accomplished, the global community or the West would be in the same situation which it faced at the time when the Rajapakse government forged ahead with the war to defeat terrorism. This is where Iraq failed. If Iraq too openly put forward to the international community a clear-cut policy regarding nuclear arms then the NATO Forces would not have been able to invade Iraq.
Homeland Concept
Sri Lanka should now forge ahead to defeat the present covert moves of the Tamil Eelamists, by taking this as an example. The Sri Lanka Government should adopt as a policy that a historical Tamil homeland concept is a mere myth. The fight against the Eelam concept should commence from this point to preserve the unitary and sovereign status of the country. This would definitely put a check on the wild outburst of Eelamists and other international forces who try to pressurize Sri Lanka.
If the international community is convinced that Tamil Homeland is nothing but a fiction then they would not have further dealings with these Eelamists. This has to be done to bring the Western colonialists to their senses.