Darkest Day In The City Of Lights
By Asanga Abeyagoonasekera –November 17, 2015
Asanga Abeygoonasekera
“A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world” – Albert Camus
Following the Charlie Hebdo in January killing 17 people,it was the second terror attack for this year in Paris. This time losing 129 innocent civilians on the evening of the 13th of November. This was a carefully planned and coordinated multiple attack on six different locations by eight gunmen. Out of the eight killers, seven committed suicide. The worst attack taking most lives was at a live concert at Bataclan Theater killing more than 80. It was a painful day which will be remembered by the entire world – a particular hit to human values. ISIS who claim responsibility have declared a war beyond their geographical area to the entire world.
Few weeks ago, the Russian flight carrying passengers from Shyam el Shek were bombed according to the western intelligence agency reports. On Thursday another suicide attack in Beirut killed 40 innocent civilians. These cowardly acts by the ISIS militant group is a clear message sent to the western world. One may wonder if the clash of the civilizations from Samuel P. Huntington is unfolding between the West and ISIS. We live at a point in history that we have witnessed serious height of terrorism from 9/11 to Mumbai attack and to many other attacks in our own nation Sri Lanka. According to the French philosopher André Glucksmann who passed away last week clearly states the characteristic form of modern terrorism is nihilism. “What do extremist ideologies like the communism or Nazism of yesteryear and the Islamism of today have in common? After all, they support ostensibly very different ideals – the superior race, mankind united in socialism, the community of Muslim believers (the Umma). Tomorrow, it could be altogether different ideals: some theological, some scientific, others racist. But the common characteristic is nihilism.” Whatever the cause, ISIS killing innocent people is most certainly not Islam.
World leaders meeting at the G20 conference in Antalya could be an opportunity to retool the strategy against ISIS. With coordinated effort from the global powers ISIS could be defeated. There should be space given to any nation who is ready to support and fight ISIS. Eastern powers; particularly Chinese and Indian among other nations should support this cause. There is no time to waste on political games as the threat from ISIS is serious and daily spreading. A political and military solution to ISIS terror should be ranked top priority on the global agenda.
The ISIS usage of social media for propaganda and the radicalization program using new methods is more evident than any other terrorist group in history. It appears ISIS is hiding operatives among the tide of legitimate refugees now entering Europe as one gunman was identified as a refugee who entered using this path.
