|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Friday, 4 June 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Editorial | |
| News Business Features Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
| Please forward your comments to the Editor, Daily News. Email : [email protected] Snail mail : Daily News, 35, D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Telephone : 94 11 2429429 / 94 11 2421181 Fax : 94 11 2429210 An assault on democracy The cold-blooded killing in the East of senior Tamil journalist, Aiyathurai Nadesan, establishes afresh the daunting odds against which some sections of our Fourth Estate are called upon to carry out their duties. The cowardly and dastardly attack was clearly aimed at silencing a voice which, apparently, was not to the liking of the killers and we are left to conclude that the freedom of expression in the North-East has come under fresh, barbaric assault. While expressing our profound sorrow at the killing of a fellow journalist we also vehemently condemn this act of naked terror which only absolute cowards and dehumanised brutes are capable of carrying out. The killing of Nadesan is a reflection of the increasing political convulsions of the North-East and is a sinister reminder of the continued presence of fascistic forces in the conflict-ridden region. This is a most unfortunate tendency because we do not see how the groundwork for a democratic political culture could be laid in the North-East if brutal curbs are clamped on journalists by roving armed groups who only understand the language of violence. Journalists are, after all, perfectly entitled to their opinions on the politics of the day. This is no way of bringing calm and normalcy to the North-East. We wish to remind the principal political forces in the North-East that without tolerance for dissenting views and without a solid foundation for a plurality of opinion-moulding influences, democratic values are unlikely to take root in the region. A democratic culture - it must be remembered - is an essential pre-condition for the fostering of peace. Therefore, it should be plain to see that repressive, murderous acts would only backfire on the peace process which needs to be deeply entrenched. While all civic conscious citizens and groups, including journalists, need to express their protest at this murderous assault on a foundational value of democracy, the law enforcement authorities should swiftly go about the task of seeking out the killers and bringing them to justice. We call on all freedom-loving groups in the North-East to assist the law-enforcers in this task. Nuclear nightmare With the recent massacre in Saudi Arabia, the civilised world has received yet another rude reminder from terrorists that they are still very much active, despite an international 'war on terror'. Civilian deaths mean nothing to terrorists intent on wreaking havoc in world capitals. They are increasingly using sophisticated devices to cause death and destruction and gaining access to technologies that used to be restricted to governments. According to the UK-based magazine New Scientist, experts believe it is only a question of time before terrorists use a "dirty bomb," a device that would spew radioactive debris over a city, making parts of it uninhabitable for years. A "dirty bomb" is not a nuclear bomb - it will use conventional explosive to disgorge radioactive material over a very wide area. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) records point to "a dramatic rise" in the smuggling of radiological substances, the raw material for this bomb, the science weekly says in this Saturday's issue. There were 51 such cases last year alone. However, these are only the reported, confirmed cases - the actual number of transactions could be much higher. Smugglers target the radioactive materials used in factories, hospitals and research laboratories, which are not guarded as securely as those used by the nuclear industry. These facts clearly indicate that nuclear smuggling is rife. The recent exposure of Pakistan's nuclear guru Abdul Khan and his middleman B.S.A. Tahir revealed the extent of the 'trade' in nuclear materials and information. If illicit deals in weapons-grade nuclear material and technology are so rampant, one can only imagine the scale of trade in less lethal nuclear or radioactive substances. At this rate, the prospect of a "dirty" bomb or even a nuclear bomb itself falling into the hands of a ruthless terrorist group can no longer be ignored. The consequences of such a catastrophe, which will affect many generations to come, defy the imagination. It is a nightmare waiting to happen, says the New Scientist. But it is a nightmare that does not necessarily have to come true. States must provide tighter security to all nuclear establishments, regardless of whether they are weapons silos or hospitals. They should keep track of individuals and organisations trying acquire samples of radioactive substances. International cooperation is vital in this endeavour. The world must pursue the fight against terrorists and thwart their heinous plans. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
