Events & Issues

New Delhi, 25 July 2011

Mumbai & Oslo Killings

VITAL TO HEAL THE WOUNDS

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

We live in a strange world, devoid of love, hatred and insanity. There are two incidents that happened in quick succession recently: The Mumbai blasts followed by the Oslo killings which accentuate today’s peculiar humanity that harps on make-believe assumptions.

Barely a week after the Mumbai blasts at three places on Black Wednesday 13 July killing and injuring many, a lunatic opened fire at the Government headquarters in Oslo and a youth camp nearby. The twin attacks killed at least 91 innocent people in Norway's deadliest tragedy since World War II. Indeed, both are condemnable acts in every sense. But equally reviling is the quick conclusion of the suspects that the authorities have arrived at of both the incidents.

While the Mumbai attacks were blamed on the Indian Mujhadeen, Lasker -e -Toiba and Jaish- e- Mohammad (usual Muslim angle of the suspects), the needle of suspicion for the Oslo killings initially fell on the Islamist organisations. But both these assumption seem far fetched.

Arguably, there is not even a shred of evidence on the Mumbai attackers pointing to this, yet the entire country was fed on the staple diet of the ‘usual’ Muslim suspects. The writer looked for some balanced reportage but no TV channel had reported that the security forces could not correctly place the needle of suspicion on any exact group or groups.

Now when the heat and dust over the blast has settled down, all the theories that were earlier circulated has come a cropper and there is lull about all that happened. Police investigations have gone no further than catching the usual culprits, rounding them up followed by selective leaks sans conclusion. Notwithstanding, that the Mumbai blasts resulted in the tragic killing of innocents. 

Also, the moment tragedy struck Norway, the first suspect was the Al Qaeeda. One report averred that it was Osama Bin Laden’s men who had gone on a rampage to avenge the killing of their leader. This was followed by reports that the attackers were some Islamic radicals dressed in mufti who created mayhem. It was to protest Norway’s participation in NATO operations in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Now, as investigations have panned out it is clear that there was no Islamic angle to the killings. The truth is very different from all the assumptions that were made. A lunatic 32-year old young man reportedly a Christian fundamentalist with fascist ideas and full of hatred went on rampage taking innocent lives.

Importantly, this raises a fundamental question: Why is the media in a tearing hurry to conduct a post-mortem of such events. They seem to foist blame on any terrorist group along-with what ever comes handy and are easy targets.

Clearly, this is a dangerous trend and not good for civilized societies. In all humbleness, the writer feels that there should be protests to stop the muck that is dished out in the name responsible journalism.  The media must restraint itself from casting aspersions and arriving at judgments and instead decipher the actual reasons behind such attacks through authentic sources and only then disseminate them to the public.

Equally reprehensible, is the fact that some Islamic radicals have rejoiced at the pain caused to innocents in Norway, by calling it ‘divine justice’ for the sufferings of ordinary people in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. This dangerous trend too has to be condemned.  Such thinking can not be called an act of civilization. Instead, this is sheer barbarism.

Apart from media, another unfortunate tendency noticed these days is the role played by ‘other actors’, namely politicians and their ilk who point accusing fingers without any basis or logic. Their tone and tenure is not only full of hate but also justifies the need to haul them up for inciting the public, without any proof.  Sadly, the Government is unable to enforce its authority.

In the ultimate analysis, both Mumbai and the Oslo killings have brought about huge pain and sufferings to the people who are victims of such terror attacks. Thus, the time has come for each one of us to unite and collectively fight these dastardly acts, without any prejudices.

Remember, iconic saint, Lord Buddha’s eternal rule: Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love. Equally important is a quote by another Indian Muslim saint Hazrat Nizamuddin who said: Do not give me a scissor as I do not like to cut, but give me needle, as I like to stitch.

Undeniably, at this point in time, the pain and sufferings of the victims cannot be healed by blaming someone; it can only be overcome through the resolve of acting as a needle to stitch the wounds of hate. With deepest grief in the memory of those who have lost their lives in Mumbai and Oslo and sharing the pain of their families, let us pray for global peace. ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)