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speak Tamil language and many of the For records, nearly 40 intelligence of- curement of arms & ammunitions and
Muslim families lived nearby LTTE- ficers, who were engaged in anti-LTTE also training of local residents on terror
controlled localities. Few of the Mus- war, are now being imprisoned. Per- activities. The government was almost
lim families were suspected to work as haps, the government lacks political sleeping after the 2009 counter-LTTE
spies to Colombo regime dominated by will to address various security related victory,” stated the young analyst.
Sinhala-Buddhists,” said W Chaminda, a issues, observed Chaminda. President Sirisena, who is constitu-
Lankan political analyst. For example, the Lankan law can- tionally responsible for the country’s
Speaking to this writer, the Colom- not punish a citizen, who after join- defense and also international law &
bo based Sinhala (Sinhalese) political ing a terror outfit outside the country order situation, recently commented
observer pointed out that because of returns back. He might have radicalized that most of the active Islamist radi-
it the LTTE leadership was not com- in the foreign soil and come back with cals were either eliminated or arrested
fortable with the local Muslims and it sole aim to engage in terror activities by the government forces. The rest, if
even targeted them in many occasions. and also motivate more local Muslim few more, would be neutralized before
Tamil, a major linguistic group in India, youths to join in Jihad, an elusive fight the Presidential polls scheduled for
has over 74 million people where Sri to safeguard Islam. The motivation is so November-December this year.
Lanka supports nearly 3 million Tamil- strong that the educated youths from Taking advantage of the situation,
speaking population. wealthy backgrounds too often opt for the opposition leader and former Presi-
One of the ancient ethnic groups dent Mahinda Rajapaksa has tried to get
of South Asia, Tamil people have been into the corridor of power. The hardlin-
living in southern parts of India and The violent attacks er nationalist was picked up by Presi-
also northeastern areas of Sri Lanka. dent Sirisena as Premier in November
In fact, the island nation was once (10th perpetrated by 2018 (after sacking PM Wickremesin-
to 11th century) ruled by Tamil kings. By not less than nine ghe) , but due to oppositions from dif-
1970 Velupillai Prabhakaran led LTTE ferent corners, Rajapakshe missed the
launched the armed struggle for an suicide bombers on opportunity.
independent Tamil land out of Sri Rajapakshe, who led the Lankan
Lanka. churches, hotels and armed forces to brutally crush the
Chaminda asserted that the popula- other localities in dreaded armed outfit LTTE to earn
tion pattern of his country has changed huge popularity among Sinhala peo-
in recent past. The Muslim rapidly and around Colombo ple, has also completed two terms as
increased their numbers and today on Easter Sunday President of the country and hence he
they might have touched the Hindu cannot run for the same unless there
population (around 11 per cent) to ascertain utter is an amendment to the constitution.
become another largest religious group failure of the Sri Otherwise, Rajapakshe may run for the
after Sinhala-Buddhists (around 70 per post of Prime Minister in 2020 national
cent). Christian population remains Lankan government (parliamentary) elections.
around 7 per cent of total 21 million By now the Lankan government has
Lankan populace. banned two Islamist outfits namely
With the sustained growth of Mus- the violent path. National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ)
lim population, the Sinhala-Buddhist The Islamic bombers of Sri Lanka and Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem (JMI)
nationalists lately observed rapid were highly educated and some of which were active in the country for
increase of Mosques and Madrasa them completed their educations in some years and suspected to materi-
institutions in various remote parts foreign countries. But surprisingly the alise the Sunday bombings. Awakened
of the isolated country. They also wit- suicide squad members are meticu- with the revisiting of terror, the author-
nessed that local Muslims had start- lously nurtured for the martyrdom. The ity has already launched massive op-
ed wearing typical middle-eastern young minds are raised with the sole erations at the backdrop of emergency
attire and adopting Arabic language aim to achieve paradise after they kill rules imposed in the country. Turmoil
for religious purposes. The authority themselves to establish the Caliphate thus returns to Sri Lanka and it may
had either little information about the regime under Sharia (Islamic) laws continue for many months from now.
development or simply ignored it. across the world.
For reasons best known to the pre- “Even without having specific laws The author is a journalist based in
sent government that came into power to deal with youths trained by terror Guwahati of northeast India. Views
in January 2015 had systematically groups in foreign soil, the government expressed are his own.
ignored (if not weakened) the armed could have taken actions against them.
forces along with intelligence services. Sri Lanka has lot of laws relating to pro- letters@tehelka.com

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