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The Attack on Mumbai: The Tragedy of Moral Bankruptcy in PoliticsS. HewageIn one of his most brilliant analyses of the seemingly
complex relationship between politics and morality, Immanuel Kant argued
that if the art of politics is to be perfected it should be laced with
morality. If morality and politics are incompatible in a single command,
then these two are really in conflict. But if these two qualities
ought always to be united, the thought of contrariety is absurd, and
the question as to how the conflict between morals and politics is to
be resolved cannot even be posed as a problem. (Kant, On
the Opposition between Morality and Politics with Respect to Perpetual
Peace, para.370). Lesson # 2: Never provide material, psychological, or logistical support to a terrorist group operating against another nation, no matter how unjust the political system or the leadership of that country may be. Bring the issues or concerns that you feel unjust to the attention of a regional or global forum such as the United Nations, so that you are not doing an illegal act. By helping terrorists you will not contribute to democratic principles, but degrade all human values. Take the moral high ground. Lesson # 3: Never recruit, train or arm citizens of any country to
carry out terrorist activities against legitimate armed forces of another
country. If you do not like the conduct of the armed forces of that
country, bring the issue to the attention of an international body,
such as the UN, and through persistent dialogue the issue can be resolved.
History provides ample evidence to prove that clandestine operations
have often backed fired in the long run because terrorists are not loyal
to any one nation, but to their cause. Remember, the United States and
Pakistan recruited Osama Bin Laden and other young Muslims, trained,
and armed them to fight against the Soviet Army in Afghanistan. After
the Soviet withdrawal, Osama and other terrorists showed no gratitude
to any of their creators, and the rest is history. Likewise, India trained,
armed and provided logistics to the LTTE terrorists against the Sri
Lankan state for short term political rivalries, which brought as much
disaster for India as for Sri Lanka. The simple fact is that terrorists
show no gratitude to anyone, except to achieve their own goals. Lesson # 5: Take every possible legal measure to prevent citizens and civil society organizations in your country in supporting terrorist organizations directly or indirectly. It is a well known fact that terrorists use bogus charitable organizations to raise money, and to launder money around the world. For example, the LTTE is one of most successful terrorist organizations that collect money through various front-organizations, such as the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), the World Tamil Movement, the Tamil Childrens Aid, to mention but a few in many Western countries. They organize various social and cultural events with the patronage of local politicians who knowingly or unknowingly end up supporting terrorist groups. These politicians in Western countries are essentially contributing to the mass murders and destruction of properties in other countries. Lesson # 6: Remember, terrorists are not concerned about human rights, or freedom of expression. Rather, they exploit these democratic principles and values for their own advantage, and to promote terrorist propaganda. While legitimate governments have to ensure the security and safety of all citizens, they are also compelled to uphold democratic values such as human rights, which can prevent law enforcement authorities to carry out their work effectively. It is imperative to understand that in times of fighting terrorism, there will be some limitations to democratic practices for the greater good in the long-run. In this context, organizations dedicated to protecting human rights should not become the guardians of terrorists by unduly forcing nation-states to uphold human rights laws at the expense of national security measures. In the 21st century globalized world, terrorism is the biggest threat
to democracy. As the terrorist groups world over share their technology,
know-how, and resources, the democratic states cannot be divided over
petty political advantages that give opportunity for terrorists to raise
money, procure weapons, and carryout devastating attacks on innocent
civilians and state property to consolidate their positions. Remember,
terrorism anywhere is terrorism everywhere. Terrorists have no loyalty
to any individual except to their own cause. Those who lend support
to terrorists today may become a victim of terrorist violence tomorrow.
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