Sri Lanka has been listed as one of the 13 countries at risk of increased terrorist activity by the 2014 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) as it exhibits traits that are otherwise seen in countries with high levels of terrorist activity.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa -Secretary, Defence and Urban Development
The 2014 GTI that is published on 18 November 2014 by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) notes that traits including extrajudicial killings, lack of women’s political rights, lack of intergroup cohesion and political instability have been exhibited in the 13 countries that have been listed as those that are at substantial risk of increased terrorist activity from its current level.
According to the report, Sri Lanka is placed alongside the list of 13 states that includes Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivorie, Ethiopia, Iran, Israel, Mali, Mexico, Myanmar and Uganda.
The IEP has analyzed terrorist events and data that dates back to the 1970s while comparing it against socio-economic, political and conflict indicators including social hostilities between different ethnic, religious and linguistic groups, lack of intergroup cohesion and group grievances, measures of state repression such as extrajudicial killings, political terror and gross human rights abuses as well as other forms of violence such as violent crimes and violent demonstrations in order to asses the future risk of terrorism.
In the report, Sri Lanka has also been ranked at 36 in the Global Terrorism Index with a score of 4.01 placing it in the same rank as Mozambique.
Siva Sankaran Sarma / November 19, 2014
But but but I thought heroic We Thamizh freedom fighters were not terrorists :D
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aratai / November 20, 2014
You are correct, they meant Govt. Forces.
:-)
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / November 20, 2014
Are you sure? You should probably try reading the report, because they’re quite explicit about who they mean :D
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srilal / November 21, 2014
here is the latest news about US ambassador to Srilanka.
“The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has confirmed US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele Jeanne Sison, as the Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, and Deputy Representative of the United States in the Security Council of the United Nations.”
http://colombogazette.com/2014/11/21/us-confirms-sison-for-key-un-position/
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Native Vedda / November 19, 2014
Wee Thamizh senior journalist D: Siva Sankaran Sarma Menon
Ape Sinhala/Buddhist also thought heroic We Thamizh freedom fighters were not terrorists during Premadasa’s presidency and just before presidential elections in 2005.
Ape Sinhala/Buddhist not only showered them with cash but gave them lots of arms.
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Davidson Panabokke / November 19, 2014
The report says what the govt of Sri Lanka keeps saying: terrorists are still there and keep shooting people now and then to ”prove” it.
There is no action on state terrorism and if state terrorism is tackled, there won’t be rebel terrorism.
Ethnic outbidding kept UNP and SLFP going in the 50s/60s/70s. Now ”terrorism” keeps UPFA going.
It all started in 1948:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/104705097/Conscientious-Sinhalese-Tell-LLRC
2. ‘’…….. “Mrs Jayaweera, I know that you have hardly settled down in Badulla after the hard time you both had in Gal Oya, so I don’t know how you will take this suggestion. My government is having a serious problem coming up in Jaffna, where we have to implement the Sinhala Only Act in all government departments from October this year. But the Federal Party is resisting it strongly and giving us a lot of problems. They are now planning to launch a big campaign in October, called the Secessionist Movement, to coincide with the implementation of the Sinhala only policy. I understand that your husband did a very good job at Gal Oya. So we are hoping that he will do a similar job for us in Jaffna. Would you object if I transfer him now to Jaffna?”
………………….. Dias then went on to spell out a remarkable vision of events he said are bound to unfold in the not too distant future. He had a deep conviction that within the next twenty five years or so, the Tamil protest will develop into an armed rebellion and that the Government must prepare from now (i.e.1963) to meet that outcome. He said that my principal role as the GA of Jaffna, while enforcing the Sinhala Only Act, will be to help him develop counter measures for dealing with the anticipated uprising, and then proceeded to unfold to me his grand strategy for containing it.
Even as Dias was unfolding his grand strategy it struck me that he seemed to have taken a leaf from Germany’s famous Schlieffen Plan of 1905 to encircle Paris in the event of war. The centrepiece of Dias’s strategy to contain a future Tamil revolt was to be the establishment of a chain of military camps to encircle the Northern Province, all the way from Arippu, Maricchikatti, Pallai, and Thalvapadu in the Mannar District, through Pooneryn, Karainagar, Palaly, Point Pedro and Elephant Pass in the Jaffna District, and on to Mullaitivu in the Vavuniya District and Trincomalee in the East. He said that there were already two military camps of platoon strength in Pallai in Mannar and in Palaly in Jaffna and a rudimentary naval presence in Karainagar, but that he wanted to upgrade them.
He said that he was aware that any attempt by the government to establish permanent military camps in the Northern Province was bound to trigger massive protests from Tamil leaders. However, he seemed to have thought out a masterly subterfuge to disguise their true intent. He said that he was planning to make a huge public issue of two national problems, namely, illicit immigration from India into Sri Lanka, and smuggling from Sri Lanka into India, and argue that in order to choke off this two way flow, which was obviously detrimental to Sri Lanka’s national interest, his proposed military camps were absolutely necessary. The whole military operation was therefore to be disguised as if it was a measure to cope with two major national problems -illicit immigration and smuggling – and without seeming grossly unpatriotic, no one could raise a dissenting voice against it. ……………’’’ – Into the turbulence of Jaffna, Neville Jayaweera(Government Agent in Jaffna District,1963-1966), 5 October 2008, http://www.island.lk/2008/10/05/features2.htm
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Chandra / November 19, 2014
I wonder if they were referring to State Terrorism
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Native Vedda / November 19, 2014
Chandra
Wait Mechanic is going to come down on you like a ton of bricks when he hits the roof after reading your comment.
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Davidson Panabokke / November 19, 2014
State terrorism:
”….. in the activities of the rising Tamil student and youth fronts, in protest against the racist policies implemented by the United Front Government of the day. It is this Government, consisting of so called progressives and left parties, that reinforced the foundation of the Tamil Eelam demand, the cornerstone of which was laid by the Bandaranaike policy of Sinhala Only in 1956. Comrade Pathmanabha participated in the early 70’s in the campaigns of agitation launched against media wise and district wise standardisation and discriminatory 1972 Constitution. …..” – Dayan Jayatilleka, 19 November 2014,
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-political-philosophy-and-praxis-of-k-pathmanabha/
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anonymous / November 19, 2014
Dear Colombo Telegraph.
I think you have posted this article without realizing the danger of revealing the identity of the ‘Leader’ of the group, terrorizing the population. It is high time the GTI came out clean with their findings.
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Puhul Dosi / November 19, 2014
Oh, you may have missed seeing the image attached to the article….isn’t it already very clear?
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anonymous / November 20, 2014
Bravo my favourite sweet,’Puhul Dosi’!
How come it was only you who managed to read my mind. You must be psychic. That is exactly what I meant but decided not to include the ‘image’ word in it.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 19, 2014
When a government uses terrorism as tool or an excuse to govern the way it does, can we expect anything different. State terrrorism covert, overt, violent and quite subtle has brought Sri Lanka to this state. The civil terrorism like those of the JVP and the LTTE were the result and magnified the effect. The JVP and LTTE are long gone, but state terrorism continues in its many forms. When any law abiding citizen is scared of his/her government or its hand maidens, then he lives in a terrorist State.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Spring Koha / November 20, 2014
Aah Dr N, you evoke sweet memories of past campaigns.
Any form of terrorism is anathema to decent people. State ‘terrorism’ however comes to us cloaked in the garb of a ‘democratically elected government keeping the peace’ exercise.
The GoSL set the benchmark in 1971 and achieved it with widespread support from around the globe. Fast forward to 1989, and a GoSL of a different colour showed what state resolve can do. Then came Mahinda’s dream and the inevitable conclusion of 2009.
So what was the common thread with these three events? The government claimed they did right by the people, and for the people, and that NO one on the government side committed any wrongdoing in the process. Therein lies the rub.
We must show fortitude; the words of our elders, that truth and justice will prevail, cannot be wrong. Surely!
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Piranha / November 19, 2014
Is it BBS terrorism risk they are referring to?
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justice / November 19, 2014
Mourning of mass killings by the state at the end of the war, on 27th is anticipated, and state terrorism is being stepped up.
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=37491
This is an annual feature now.
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Taraki / November 19, 2014
Well done Justice. Free advert for the 27th.. you buggers saved Rs50…typical shylockian mentality.
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Fazl Muhammed / November 19, 2014
Terrorists and criminals are not born….They are made!
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K.A Sumanasekera / November 20, 2014
Did Arafat tell you this…
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Nishantha De Silva / November 20, 2014
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Jay Pathbey / November 19, 2014
CT,
This article reeks of lies. After almost daily reading articles, write ups in CT it is obvious CT has issues with the President and his brothers and would like to see the last of them. But promoting articles such as this with the sole purpose of denigrating Sri Lanka makes readers sick. After all it should not be assumed that all readers are frogs in a well.
Listed below is the latest GTI ranking. For your information Sri Lanka ranks 36th while US ranks 30th.
I expect CT to check the authenticity of what it publishes without playing to the Sri Lanka hating gallery.
I have listed below the latest 40 positions as found in from Wikipedia.
Rank Country Score
1 Iraq 10.00
2 Afghanistan 9.39
3 Pakistan 9.37
4 Nigeria 8.58
5 Syria 8.12
6 India 7.86
7 Somalia 7.41
8 Yemen 7.31
9 Philippines 7.29
10 Thailand 7.19
11 Russia 6.76
12 Kenya 6.58
13 Egypt 6.5
14 Lebanon 6.4
15 Libya 6.25
16 Colombia 6.24
17 Turkey 5.98
18 Democratic Republic of the Congo 5.9
19 Sudan 5.77
20 South Sudan 5.6
21 Algeria 5.52
22 Mali 5.29
23 Bangladesh 5.25
24 Nepal 5.23
25 China 5.21
26 Central African Republic 5.19
27 United Kingdom 5.17
28 Iran 4.9
29 Greece 4.73
30 United States 4.71
31 Indonesia 4.67
32 Israel 4.66
32 Mexico 4.66
34 Bahrain 4.41
35 Rwanda 4.00
39 Burundi 3.97
40 Ivory Coast 3.96
I will be very surprised if this is published and at the same time I can foresee the clamor this will create.
JP/USA
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Bath Gotta / November 20, 2014
Jay Po
Looks you are always blind – click the link to the report in the CT news and read man.
http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Terrorism-Index-Report.pdf
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Eusense / November 19, 2014
JP,
Should we be surprised that CT is blocked by the gov? Though I don’t support blockades I want to see responsible and truth being reported by all news outlets. I am yet to see a single positive report on SL by CT thus far. I hope CT editorial board pay attention to this. Being on the offense all the time does not serve any purpose to anybody. Any way if CT is funded by the anti-SL Tamil diaspora I expect no change.
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Native Vedda / November 20, 2014
Nuisance
“Being on the offense all the time does not serve any purpose to anybody.”
It takes two to speak truth — one to speak, and another to hear.
~ Henry David Thoreau
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eusense / November 20, 2014
Yes, if not the “truth” CT is speaking
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Bath Gotta / November 20, 2014
Bath gotu Nuisance
Read the report!
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K.A Sumanasekera / November 20, 2014
Jay says SL is 36th
That is after May 2009 to date. and 6 places better than the # ! Terrorist Hunter.
If its was 83 to 2006 we would have been # 1… Right…
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Pearl Thevanayagam / November 20, 2014
Rohan Gunaratne is working overtime and spinning his yarns as terrorism expert. Alan Bullion of South Asian studies on strategic intelligence called him an eloquent speaker but one who is unable to substantiate his theories.
His grin is worse than the President’s. Colgate should engage him for their toothpaste ads.
The blighter needs to prove he is a professori in an obscure University in Singapore not unlike many others who pontificate on subjects to support an oligarchic regime which is bereft of cerebral prowess but are bent on sycophants like Gunaratne.
The blighter would not know the difference if the LTTE hit him in the eye with Tiger embroglio and cyanide capsules round their necks.
Gunaratne is a joker who trundles along his merry way imparting his ignorance at every opportunity hoping he is fooling the government.
At least Dayan Jayatilleka has insider knowledge of insurgents although he tends to vacillate between his loyalty to the Prez and his own commitment to truth.
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shankar / November 20, 2014
At least we can wait till india,UK and US are engulfed in terrorism before it hits us.probably not in my lifetime,thank god.
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Citizen / November 20, 2014
Global Terrorism Index (GTI) has pointed out correctly. In addition to the State Terrorism, there is also the likelihood of other terrorist organizations extending its tentacles to Sri Lanka, which cannot be ruled out. US and India are monitoring those terrorists. If the North-East Provinces are merged, it is easier for India to monitor the activities of such foreign terrorism, as India is well equipped to tackled terrorism. Sri Lanka should realize this truth.
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