Friday, 24th October 2014
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Regretting the loss of lives due to unprecedented terrorist attacks in Canada during the week, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said the situation there was very much similar to that of Sri Lanka in the early 80s.
The Defence Secretary likened the threat faced by Canada to the situation that prevailed in the northern region before the LTTE ambushed an army patrol on the night of July 23, 1983 and claimed the lives of 13 servicemen.
Two separate incidents on Monday (Oct 20) near Montreal and on Wednesday in capital, Ottawa (Oct 22) claimed the lives of two soldiers and two terrorists. At least one gunman rampaged through the Canadian parliament on Wednesday before parliament’s Sergeant at Arms, who is a Canadian Mounted Police veteran shot him.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that terrorism threatened the entire world today, though at the time Sri Lanka experienced the same, an influential section of the international community turned a blind eye to what was happening here. If not for terrorism, Sri Lanka Army would have probably remained a ceremonial outfit, Rajapaksa, who had once commanded the celebrated first battalion of the Gajaba Regiment (IGR) told The Island.
Commenting on Wednesday's incident, the Defence Secretary pointed out that one of the soldiers killed in violence was providing a ceremonial guard at the Canadian National War Memorial. Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that isolated terrorist attacks could plunge any country into crisis. "We suffered for three decades before the military eradicated the LTTE in May 2009," Rajapaksa said, adding that terrorism experienced by Sri Lanka couldn't be compared with the threats faced by Western powers. The LTTE had the wherewithal even to fight the mighty Indian army when a peace accord finalised in July 1987 didn’t go to their liking, Rajapaksa said.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the head of the Commonwealth, twittered: "Very disturbing to see increasing terrorist acts in many countries, now even Canada. We must unite as equal partners to fight this menace."
Canadian Premier Stephen Harper boycotted the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo in November last year in the wake of Canadians of Sri Lankan origin accusing Sri Lanka of war crimes allegations. Canada also boycotted Sri Lanka's victory day parade in Matara alleging that such celebrations wouldn't help post-war national reconciliation process. Canada is among the countries wanting to haul Sri Lanka up before an international war crimes tribunal over accountability issues.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that a statement attributed to Canadian Premier Harper quite rightly explained Canada's determination to fight back. Canada also blamed the first incident on a terrorist inspired by the Islamic State, he pointed out. The Canadian police shot dead the terrorist following a car chase.
Premier Harper said: "But this week’s events are a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world. We are also reminded that attacks on our security personnel and our institutions of governance are, by their very nature, attacks on our country. But let there be no misunderstanding. We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated.
"In fact, this will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts and those of our national security agencies to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats, and keep Canada safe here at home. Just as it will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts to work with our allies around the world and fight against the terrorist organizations who brutalize those in other countries with the hope of bringing their savagery to our shores. They will have no safe haven."
