Agitations and national security

The country could take heart from the fact that the Security Forces and the Police are going more than the extra mile to ensure national security.

The majority of such personnel have developed the ability to match efficiency and vigilance with politeness and consideration, and this is something over which they need to be warmly commended.

There is no doubt that such qualities in our Security Forces and Police personnel would enhance public confidence in the law enforcement agencies of the State and in turn lead to a boosting of their morale.

An instance of the alertness and conscientiousness of the law enforcement agencies was frontpaged by us yesterday in our news story about the Consulate General to the Republic of Liberia who was warmly appreciative of the vigilance exercised by our Security Forces, despite some inconveniences undergone by him.

Such vigilance, conscientiousness and courtesy would be strongly promotive of national security and help in the crucial task of defeating LTTE terror.

However, our law enforcers would perform even better at their tasks if they constantly receive the unstinted cooperation and encouragement of the general public in discharging their duties.

Unfortunately, not all sections of the public realise that national security is of the utmost importance at present. It is as if they are yet to awaken to the full horrors of LTTE terror.

It is as if they do not realise that the Tigers are on the prowl, awaiting an opportunity to spill innocent blood. We wonder whether they are yet to see the LTTE's monstrous violence and what these demented minds are capable of.

Yet, it is very plain that the Tigers are growing increasingly desperate and brutal. The recent bus bombs in the South bear this out amply. Innocent lives are at stake and no chances could be taken with these demented minds.

This should be exceedingly clear to most sensible sections. But, apparently, there are many in our polity who are yet to learn these lessons, and are continuing to play into the paws of the Tiger through their irresponsible conduct.

We are referring in particular to those sections which are continuing to launch wild cat strikes, organise illegal assemblies in public places and generally speaking, disrupt public life through their insensitive conduct.

Despite the high risks involved in engaging in such conduct in the present security climate, they are continuing to indulge in this species of destructive behaviour.

The rights of the people should be protected and promoted by the State and the latter would even go the extra mile to do this, but it is up to these agitationists to realise that such actions should be carefully thought out and should not be carried out at the risk of harming national security.

They need to realise that highway agitational campaigns, for instance, which attract large crowds and bring traffic to a grinding halt, would provide the Tigers with ample opportunities to unleash bloodshed and murderous violence.

Besides, demonstrations and agitations could subject our Security Forces and Police to extra work pressures and prevent them from carrying out priority chores.

Such disruptive activity could have the effect of dissipating their energies and spreading them out thinly on the ground, thereby enabling the LTTE to perpetrate terror easily.

These possibilities and realities need to be dwelt on by those who are oblivious to the destruction the Tigers are capable of. May wise counsel prevail, is our request.

Celebrating Veerasingham Anandasangaree

The Alumni Association of University of Peradeniya, Colombo Chapter felicitated V. Anandasangaree who was awarded the UNESCO - Madangeet Singh Prize on November 16, 2006. What follows is the text of the keynote address given on the occasion by Prof. Carlo Fonseka at the BMICH on December 19, 2006.

Full Story

Bus bombs: LTTE's desperate tactics fail as South remains calm

The bombs that exploded in two buses targeting innocent passengers at Nittambuwa and Hikkaduwa within a time span of 19 hours on January 5 and 6 sent shockwaves all over the country.

Full Story