6.2.2008
By Lalith Amarasiri
Sri
Lanka’s successful fight against terrorism received
international recognition when scholar Dr. Peter Leitner
Professor with the Center for Advanced Defense Studies
responsible for Terrorism, Intelligence, and Cyber War
issues called Sri Lanka the world’s greatest learning
lab for counter terrorism,. These words directly contradicted
what many observers called legal interference in national
security affairs caused by the Supreme Court order stopping
the so called unnecessary searches at check points and
reduction of barriers.
The
barrier removal slogan of the Leader of the Opposition
also pooh-poohed security check years ago. The LTTE that
is already using to its advantage technological expertise,
financial support from a highly educated and successful
Diaspora, ruthless and amoral leadership has made hay
while the sun is shining in the form of a spate of suicide
bombs and grenades to terrorize the country.
Absolutist
mentality among some legal eagles who viewed anti-terrorism
fight as nothing but common or garden politicking is giving
Prabhakaran much food for thought. In fact, it is fodder
to his ruthless suicidal attacks. The decision to restrict
the ability of the government to do body searches randomly
is one of those things that is hard to understand. To
say the least, it is judicial intervention in executive
and legislative branches of government.
Dr.Leitner
has over 30 years of U S Federal service in a variety
of national security positions including 21 years in the
Department of Defense has testified numerous times before
the US Congress about Sri Lanka’s fight against
terrorism. He has brought attention to and admiration
of Sri Lanka’s great effort to fight terrorism.
Dr.Leitner
has stated in unequivocal terms about LTTE’s direct
responsibility for the barbarous acts of terrorism, mayhem,
and nihilism and their ruthless massacre of innocent civilians
on a daily basis. He went on to state how the mutation
of LTTE into the modern terrorist machine received misguided
support from certain outside countries. There is a vacuum
created by a genuine ambivalence among the Western democracies
for conflicts in far-away places that do not involve oil
and gas deposits.
He
bemoaned the lack of any meaningful international response
to LTTE atrocities – to include the murder of two
sitting Heads of State – taught them that there
is no negative consequences to their actions no matter
how brutal and heinous.
The
legal opinion expressed by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
has aggravated LTTE’s blatant violation of human
rights. They can now act with impunity knowing that government’s
hands are tied. Said one observer, it is like fighting
a boxing bout with one hand tied to a post. LTTE is on
a binge of merciless killing knowing fully well that one
of the main vehicles the government had-security checks
of everyone coming into the city- has been taken away.
Parliament
has to take immediate measures to pass legislation preventing
the judicial from interfering in matters of national security.
The separation of powers between the legislature, executive
and judiciary must be maintained at all times. The decision
of the Supreme Court must be annulled or appealed immediately
in the interest of civilians falling victim to Prabhakaran’s
terror train running amok today.
Courtesy - Asian
Tribune