Another tragedy of our times

ALTHOUGH eclipsed and upstaged by more devastating tragedies of recent times, such as the December 26 tsunami, human smuggling from our shores has been proceeding apace. This has been an on-going tragedy which has only now and then captured the headlines of newspapers but in fact it is a problem of highly disturbing dimensions which needs to be resolved even at this late stage.

The latest trigger for this renewed concern over human smuggling from Sri Lanka is the arrest of over 130 Sri Lankans without valid travel documents at the Red Sea port recently while being in transit to Western capitals. These illegal migrants had apparently paid the kingpins of the human smuggling operation huge fees in the region of Rs. 400,000 and Rs. 500,000 for their desperate pursuit of the elusive pot of gold which has now gone up in smoke, in hot desert sands.

There is a heart-rending tale on the lips of each of these illegal Lankan migrants. Their sense of desperation borne of thwarted ambition and unrealised dreams in their homeland has cost them and their families a staggering fortune. For, all their hard-earned money and wealth has gone into this misadventure cum tragedy.

All that they owned were paid as fees to the human smuggler who, in most cases, gets off scot-free, to avariciously enjoy his spoils while his one time wards languish in subhuman conditions in foreign jails or return to the country of their origin minus everything they earned and owned, to join the ranks of the destitute and the abandoned.

Even if these fortune-seekers reach their destinations they condemn themselves to a life of virtual servitude and hard labour, living in mortal fear of the law and eking out an existence on bread and water. Therefore, human smuggling and its horrors constitute yet another tragic dimension in the lives of restless Lankans, bitten badly by the bug of worldly success.

However, these horrors have been building-up over the years unknown to many and even the LTTE found human smuggling a source of easy money. Powerful interests in the travel trade were also said to be having a hand in it and vast wealth has been amassed by them over the years through their engagement in the transportation of human merchandise of this kind.

The sad truth is that more and more Lankan lives are being irreparably wrecked. There are no quick-fixes to this problem because desperation borne of economic necessity compels the human being to try the impossible. Perhaps more caring homes and sufficient emotional comfort in their motherland would induce Lankans into staying on our shores, come what may. Perhaps less avarice for wealth and riches would put the brakes on vaulting ambition and calm restless hearts.

In the final analysis, we need to build a more caring Lanka which would be home to fast disappearing family and human values.

High-tech security

PERSONAL security has become an obsession in the post-9/11 world. Heightened security is a fact of life. Governments, transport operators, private companies and individuals are seeking the latest devices to ensure security.

A host of such devices were on display at the Global Security Asia conference and exhibition that ended yesterday in Singapore. More than 150 exhibitors from 16 nations took part in the three-day event. They showcased the latest equipment and systems specifically developed to meet the needs of military special forces and government security agencies.

Among the products on display were a sleek armoured truck that can shoot down incoming RPGs and missiles, the world's smallest V-satellite phone system and an ultra-quiet boat engine. State-of-the art devices to enhance airport and maritime security, border control and surveillance as well as identification and tracking systems were also on display.

Defeating terrorism seems to be the major purpose of most new technologies. Being one step of ahead of the terrorists is essential. One of the reasons for 9/11 was the failure of intelligence agencies to gather and interpret data. Surveillance and prevention must come first. Busting terrorist cells before they can launch any attacks is important.

The containment of actual terrorist attacks is a more advanced operation. However, new gadgets are emerging to spoil the terrorists' plans. Terrorists are known to use mobile phones to trigger explosions. With the widespread use by militants of mobile phones, one of the most viewed gadgets at the exhibition was the cellular phone and wide band jammer.

The device blocks outgoing and incoming mobile phone calls up to a distance of one kilometre. Communications is another important in containing terrorism, especially from the point of view of intelligence agencies. The new "miniV", shown at the exhibition, can be set up by one person in less than 10 minutes and instantly allows voice, video and data communication.

Although controversy surrounds the use of 'tapping' equipment by intelligence agencies, such eavesdropping on terrorists' communications has proved invaluable in foiling several dastardly terrorist attacks.

There really is no such thing called 'too much security'. Stringent security procedures must be in place everywhere because terrorists can strike anywhere, anytime. It is true that this entails sacrificing our personal freedoms to some extent. That ought to be a small price to pay for ensuring the safety of all.