Commentary: Terrorism must be handled through political leadership, not by police alone

block
In the wake of the combined operation of a section of army along with the police, RAB and SWAT against a militants hideout in Sylhet in which two police officers lost their lives and many injured, two more terrorist sanctuaries have been discovered on Wednesday in Moulvibazar and Comilla town.
It is reported that the militants are well-trained and well-equipped with large amount of explosives and firearms. As police are firing at the location they are also intermittently firing and throwing grenades at police.
Huge deployment of forces have been mobilised and law enforcers have removed people from around the locality. They have imposed Section 144 in the area to avoid civilian causalities in the light of the human loss at Atia Mahal operation that killed at least four civilians along with six militants and two police officers.
Police have postponed operation at militants hideout in Comilla town until Friday morning as the City Corporation elections are underway on Thursday.  
It is accepted that terrorism is anti-democracy that is why in democratic countries highest importance is attached to the political preparation for fight against terrorism. Though these countries blame Islamist extremism but the truth cannot be denied that the essence is killing of democracy.
We can cite the reaction of the British government against this month’s terrorist attack near the parliament. Prime Minister Theresa May rushed to the parliament to inform the members of the House and people about her strong resolve to fight against terrorism and vouched for defending the British values such as democracy, free speech, and human rights. She made it clear that she will not waver to allow terrorism to defeat democratic values emphasising terrorism as anti-democracy and opposed to democratic values.
The whole nation is disturbed and feeling insecure with the belief that there is something missing in government’s complete reliance on police power.
Such preparations by terrorists frighten us all when we are reminded that the best efforts of the law enforcers are resulting in reduction of terrorism. We must say more openness of the government and collective involvement of the people have to be ensured to win over militancy.
It is important for the government to explain how the cause of terrorism is to be politically met along with the involvement of people in the fight. If the government thinks that police power without political preparation can defeat terrorism it is proving wrong by the fact of terrorism becoming more vicious and widespread.
In our country the government talks about killing and ending terrorism as a crime but not the idea behind terrorism. The terrorists give their lives for a powerful belief of their own however condemnable it is to us.
Police power is necessary to face terrorism but police alone cannot eliminate the idea behind terrorism. Even as a worldwide phenomenon terrorism is not seen solely as heinous crimes of violence.
In our country it is not highlighted that terrorism is anti-democracy and do not believe in democratic values of tolerance, free speech, election or in people’s power.
The people have no clear picture about the true identity of our terrorists or what is their purpose. It is possible that they have no conviction of their own but they have been brainwashed by outside forces. It has to be accepted that brainwashed ones are also under the influence of an idea of protest. Even a mad person will find reason to risk his life voluntarily.
We were Muslims before and we are Muslims now and it is agreed that we have never been extremists in our practice of Islam. That is why to view terrorism through western eyes and Islamic fanatics is likely to be wrong.
But the people must know the truth and the government must explain to us how the cause of terrorism is to be politically dealt with.
The methods of getting killed in police confrontation and police arrests of hundreds of suspected terrorists give us no hope by ignoring the political motivation of the terrorists.
The active support of the people can come when they know what they are fighting for.

block