The recent terrorist strike in Sri Lanka is a result of our ostrich-like attitude towards this menace. Time and again we have failed to realise that this problem can’t be rooted out through a partisan attitude. To make the world free from terrorism, we all have to work together. But so far we have not been able to approach this menace unitedly. What we have done is to leave it to the nation concerned to fight the battle alone. The rest remained silent spectators; washing their hands by condemning the terror incident.
The greatest example of this partisan attitude is the case of Masood Azhar. The man who for years has been misguiding Muslim youths in the name of Islam, is yet to be declared as a ‘global terrorist.’ At least five times the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) have failed to pass a resolution against the breeder of terrorism. China had opposed the move at every instance. To stall the move, the country has even used its veto power. Why is it opposing the move? China owes an explanation to the world. If China thinks that by standing beside the preacher of terrorism, it will be able to make its ambitious plan constructing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a reality, Beijing is hugely mistaken. A terrorist will always remain a terrorist. Terrorism will never help in constructing something new. It can only be associated with destruction.
When China is openly supporting the person responsible behind terrorism, what are other nations doing? Is it not their responsibility to talk to China and force the country to join hands with rest of the world? It is difficult to understand why countries are not putting enough pressure on China? Is it not time to corner China if it doesn’t follow the world in its battle against terrorism? What is preventing countries like America or France to categorically tell China that if it fails to be with the world against terror, it should be boycotted? Clearly, time has come for some action instead of mere condemnation of terror related violence. Otherwise, not a single country in the world will remain safe. Pulwama, Christchurch of Colombo, every city will continue to be devastated by terrorism.
Apart from unitedly combatting the menace, we will have to keep a close watch on another aspect also. The answer to one terrorist attack can’t be a counter terror attack. We should be careful not to allow any counter force to terrorism to come up. It is being said that Colombo happened in retaliation to the barbaric Christchurch incident. It would not be a gainsaying that when we put all our resources and energy to prevent Colombo like incidents, we should also be equally careful to prevent what happened in Christchurch. It is praiseworthy the manner in which the New Zealand Prime Minister and the entire country stood beside the Muslims, who were targeted in the said incident. But danger has not been fully averted. In many countries, groups to counter terrorism have come up. The effort of these groups will further complicate the situation. Because what these groups will indulge is also terrorism. So we should not allow any effort to fix a wrong doing through another wrong, because world peace is not mathematics where two minuses make one plus.
So time has come to combat terrorism with all our might and in a neutral manner to make this world a safe and beautiful living place.
