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Terror with a purpose

A failed attempt on the life of Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake by a LTTE suicide bomber on Monday seems to have further underscored the importance of points made by President Kumaratunga on terrorism during an interview given to the BBC in the course of her current visit to Great Britain. Among other things, the President had told her interviewer that the September 11th terror attacks in the US should be considered a last wakeup call for the world to unite in battling terrorism. The attempt on the life of the Premier while being further proof of the pervasiveness and virulence of LTTE terror, substantiates the principal contention of the President.

It is our hope that this latest attempted atrocity by the terror-happy Tigers would galvanize the world into fighting terror unitedly and cooperatively. Equally significant in the timing of this attempt on the life of the Prime Minister - a key polls campaigner for the PA. In the Lankan context in particular, it is important to note that terror has a political purpose. Past assassinations of VIPs and aborted attempts on their lives, point to a quickening of LTTE terror at election time. Two years ago, in one of the most politically-motivated assassination attempts, the Tigers tried to take the life of President Kumaratunga. Besides depriving Sri Lanka of another political leader of stature, the attempt on the life of the President was clearly aimed at boosting the chances of an Opposition victory at the then presidential poll. The recent attempt on the life of Premier Wickremanayake seemed to have been motivated by similar political considerations. If the attempt succeeded it is plain that the PA's electoral prospects would have been severely affected. Political calculations and manoeuvrings are, therefore, weighing very heavily with the LTTE.

These tactics by the Tigers are, of course, anathema to the lovers of political democracy. In democracy it is peaceful political practices which matter and it is incumbent on all political forces which value the democratic way of life to condemn in the most forceful terms this attempt on the life of the Prime Minister. It is clear that the attempt by some Tamil parties to toe the LTTE line at the polls would only encourage the latter to persist in their terroristic approach.

The attempt on the life of the Premier is also evidence that the peaceful resolution of the national question cannot be swept under the carpet at the upcoming poll. While vehemently opposing the LTTE approach to politics, the political actors of the South should see in this aborted assassination bid the urgency of peacefully and justly resolving the ethnic issue. Commonsense should dictate to us the position that all the blood and thunder of Lankan politics would continue as long as the ethnic conflict remains unresolved.

• Editorial of  The Observer - LTTE's assassination strategy 30.10.2001:
  

• Voice of the Sinhala and Tamil Media
  Editorials from Sinhala and Tamil Newspapers
  of 30.10.2001

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