A barbaric act

The funerals of some of the students who were killed in Sunday's LTTE suicide attack at the Fort Railway Station have taken place.

Seven members of the Baseball team of D.S.Senanayake College and their coach perished in the barbaric attack which has shocked the nation. Two other female students were killed.

Newspapers and television were full of heart rending scenes at the school where the bodies were brought and at the homes of the bereaved families. Condolence messages were issued by the Head of State, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education among others expressing their grief to the families.

But notable by their absence were any such messages of condemnation or denouncements from the caboodle of so called Human Right groups who are quick to pounce on even a minor infringement on the part of the Security Forces allegedly against civilians.

There is not a whimper of protest or condemnation from these self appointed guardians of human rights who went ballistic over the killing of five students in Trincomalee. The Government has launched an investigation which is being headed by a Supreme judge into this and other incidents placed at the doorstep of the Security Forces.

It is time that these pretenders parading themselves in the guise of human rights advocates remove their blinkers and take up the cause of all victims without distinction if they are to be treated even with a modicum of credibility.

This is also the first time that a group of students of a major Colombo school had fallen victim to the LTTE's barbarity, although outstations students have often been the victims of the LTTE.

In one fell swoop it eliminated almost the entire baseball team of the school. The Fort incident is bound to stir the hitherto anaesthetized conscience of the city folk who had been largely insulated from the conflict and its fall out on hapless villagers in vulnerable areas.

This is all the more reason for all segments irrespective of their class, creed and ethnicity and political affiliations to join forces to eliminate barbaric LTTE terrorists who pick up their victims without distinction.

This has to be a collective effort. The Government on its part should also take serious note of the emerging trend of the LTTE to attack civilian targets now that the outfit's fighting capability is on the wane after taking a heavy beating from the Security Forces.

There is also the urgent need for stepped up vigilance on the part of the larger populace in order to minimise the risk of terror strikes.

US Elections

The US Presidential stakes have thrown up some interesting possibilities as at no time in its history with the attention focused primarily on the two contenders from the Democratic Party.

Both Hilary Clinton and Barak Obama ended almost on par in yesterday's crucial Super Tuesday primaries in over 20 States with the former slightly ahead in terms of the number of delegates bagged although the latter won more States.

With 25 states still to be decided the race is still wide open and is tantalisingly poised for a photo finish. Also with the Republican campaign rather low key it is very likely that the world's main super power for the first time in its history is on the threshold of electing either its first woman President or its first black Head of State.

It is more the reason why this contest is more closely watched around the world even among politically savvy Sri Lankans - the intricacies of the US voting system notwithstanding. The US Primaries also had a familiar ring with Sri Lankan politics with all the major contenders seeking the support of film stars and showbiz personalities.

Popular film star Jack Nicholson is backing the former First Lady while Hollywood legends such as Robert De Niro, television personality Oprah Winfrey and singer Stevie Wonder were conspicuous on the Obama campaign trail.

The influence of the Kennedys, known as the Royal family of America is another factor.

Politicians the would over would do well to emulate some of the features of the ongoing campaign.

While the undoubted political heat generated saw heated debate and the rising tempo of parry and thrust and the occasional personal jibe as could be expected at any poll, the campaign was noted for staying within the bounds of decency shorn of rancour and invective between the contenders befitting a mature democracy.

It is still too early to predict the fallout of this contest vis a vis the eventual winner on the Sri Lankan polity.

What will be closely watched however is the stand taken on terrorism by whoever is the victor for it is going to have a crucial impact on the country's war against terror.