Racial profiling of Tamils is not the answer
“Racial profiling and callous treatment of a section of society is not the answer”, said The Bottom Line, in its editorial on December 26th.
Published every Wednesday in Colombo Sri Lanka, The Bottom Line in its final edition for 2007 is calling the year that ends as the “year of pain and shame” and wants to look “forward in hope that the New Year will bring glad tidings of peace and prosperity”.
Lamenting on the prevailing holiday blues due to the militaristic situation in the country, the newspaper is blaming both the LTTE and the Sri Lanka government security forces for worsening fears and security risks faced by the civilians. “The security forces have been no better in their treatment of the minority Tamils, in particular. No doubt precautionary security measures have to be taken. It is the responsibility of the state to protect all its citizens from wanton acts of destruction.”
Amidst daily reports of several rights violations of Tamils in several parts of Sri Lanka, details of ‘profiling’ related harassment and discrimination faced by Tamils in the daily walks of life in the capital Colombo and elsewhere is also emerging.
The Bottom Line in the editorial, has also pointed out that the people of North and East are constantly living in fear due to the aerial bombing missions of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
Full text of the Bottom Line Editorial:
Dismay as ethnic war ushers in 2008
The year 2007 was by far a rough one for one and all, in Sri Lanka. After four years of relative peace, the undeclared Eelam War IV, that began in 2006, intensified this year. The economy is in doldrums not just on account of the war, but also the steadily rising price of oil in the world market.
The usual hectic shopping spree in the run up to Christmas and the festive season were not observed. Instead, low key celebrations took place.
Perhaps, even the efficient preferred this kind of approach, given the country’s economic plight and the general suffering of people. Or perhaps, the security risks, given the bomb blasts ahead of the season, may have been the cause for the damper.
Bus bombs and bombs in other public places drive fear into the masses. The fear-psychosis was aggravated by the recent bomb blast in a clothe store in Nugegoda. That the LTTE had begun to resort to soft targets was easily fathomed by civilians. Unable to contain the marauding security forces, the LTTE resorted to wanton acts of mass destruction. The LTTE lived up to its terrorist epithet as the organisation that terrified the masses, not just in the capital Colombo and the South, but also in the North and East, the flash point of the war. And mind you the very masses, that LTTE claims to represent, have been subjected to duress and bondage.
The security forces have been no better in their treatment of the minority Tamils, in particular. No doubt precautionary security measures have to be taken. It is the responsibility of the state to protect all its citizens from wanton acts of destruction.
But, racial profiling and callous treatment of a section of society is not the answer. In some instances, these hapless people have escaped the terror of the LTTE, only to be enveloped in the terror of the state.
It certainly was a year of terror that instilled a fear psychosis in the masses. In the first half of the year, the LTTE deployed its light aircraft to drop bombs on important installations in the capital Colombo. Even though the people eventually overcame this fear, civilians in the North and East constantly live in trepidation when fighter bombers carry out missions, not withstanding the accuracy of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
The fierce fighting has rendered thousands homeless and the authorities, must do all they can, to speedily resettle the displaced.
As the country wrings out this year of pain and shame, deprivation and trepidation, we can only look forward in hope that the New Year will bring glad tidings of peace and prosperity.
