The New Face of the Islamic State

Source: Amag/CNN

After the disintegration of the physical Islamic State from Iraq and Syria, the organization has found refuge in Islamist pockets around the world. The ruthless Easter bombings, killing at least 359 and injuring scores more, shocked the entire world for the sheer damage it did to a peaceful community. This was a coordinated series of at least 8 bombings hitting both churches and a couple of luxury hotels. Right away, the thoughts of the remnants of the LTTE groups came to many a people’s minds but many were deliberately trying to avoid even suspecting a Muslim group.

JUST IN: Death toll from Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka rises to 359 – police pic.twitter.com/U7pGHwqgj5

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) April 24, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Many usual critics of Islamist groups, including Tarek Fatah, were suspecting the Islamic State or an affiliated local group right from the start. No other entity would have the motivation to pick Easter and target churches and hotels in such an organized and cold-blooded manner. It indeed turned out that the Islamic State finally took the responsibility for the heinous attacks which was carried out by perhaps the strangest of their allies.

Last sermon of Tamil jihadi who blew himself up in Sri Lanka.
“Islam doesn’t permit standing up for country’s flag. Hindus, Xtians, Budhdhists r Kafirs. Allah created this land for Muslims; Kafirs have right to live, but only Muslims have right to rule.” pic.twitter.com/I4Z3XUVtQc

— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) April 23, 2019

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Source: Sebastian Church/CBCP News

All the suicide bombers were found to be Sri Lankan nationals and suspected to be a part of the local Islamist group National Tawheed Jamaat. This .group featured a number of well to do Sri Lankan Muslims who bought into the agenda of Islamism, which aspires to a pan-Islamic world implementing God’s will on the earth. They believed they were doing their bit in Sri Lanka after pledging their allegiance to the Islamic State and its caliph Abubakar Al-Baghdadi. Shockingly enough for many, one of the suicide bombers was Fatima Iqbal, a wife of a Sri Lankan millionaire, also involved in the attacks. Something which proves that poverty has nothing to do with what motivates these Islamist terrorists, a part of whose agenda is to attain paradise through “murderous martyrdom.”

This is what the challenge of the Islamic State has become now. While the horrors of the physical Caliphate have been pretty much addressed, something which had become a major global crisis around 2015-16, the activities of the group have now turned it into the second Al-Quaida. And other than their non-Muslim victims worldwide, the real cost of this crisis will be paid by the local Muslim community.

In the end, the onus will again fall on the peaceful and well-meaning Muslims all around the world. Because sadly, this virus is incubating among their brotherhood and has begun to eat not only the people outside but within it. Following the shocking Easter bombings in Colombo, the Muslim minority in the country is already feeling tightened scrutiny. But none of it should come as a surprise.

Just like the overwhelming response of solidarity from New Zealand following the Christchurch Mosque massacre, the Muslim community needs to reach out to the world too. Not just in their words, but with their actions, they must reject the cancer of the Islamic State and their allies propagating violent political Islam. Though what are you going to do when they actually do point out the problem as early as 2014 and those too eager to not hurt the community’s sentiment completely ignore these warnings. The signs for the Sri Lankan Easter bombing were coming for a very long time. But they need to keep vigilant.

There is no easy way of dealing with them.

A Historic Day for the Kurdish People

Source: rudaw.net

For too long, I have neglected the issue of Kurdish self-determination in my personal political view and wrongly so. The early formative years of my liberal viewpoint had been under the influence of false idealism that discourages nationalism on the basis of ethnicities. This approach could not have been more wrong as this is precisely the basis of several modern nation states adhering to the most liberal and democratic of values. Consider Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Britain as examples, but if the colonial powers are not a good analogy, then Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Macedonia should suffice.

Of course, not every nation can be as perfect ideologically as the United States of America is, which is supposed to welcome every liberty seeking human being to its shores. However, this does not mean that lower pursuits such as seeking sovereignty on ethnic basis instead of some lofty ideology take away the right of self-determination. Even though a liberal democrat could possibly see these influences as discriminatory and undemocratic, if not fascistic. Considering the trouble that the Kurdish people have been facing while divided in three of the most authoritarian countries in the world: Iraq, Turkey, and Iran.

However, the 2003 Iraq War opened a new door of opportunities for the helpless Kurdish people `brutalized by the Arabization policies of Saddam Hussein. Resisting against such brutality and authoritarianism became the hallmark of the Kurdish minority in Iraq and elsewhere. Some groups even resorted to even more brutal measures themselves, with many of the Kurdish terrorist groups behind several bloody bombings in Turkish cities, some of which involved suicide bombers.

Since the fall of Saddam, the Kurdish people have been in control of a semi-autonomous region in the north of Iraq, their population stronghold which had been shattered by the Islamic State. As the Islamic State goes on the backfoot in northern Iraq, the Peshmerga has captured some additional territory other than the official autonomous zone rich in oil including the city of Kirkuk.

Currently only openly supported by Israel, the cause of the Kurdish independence has still a long way to go. The Iraqi government obviously rejects the referendum, and Iraq and Turkey have even carried out joint military exercises, reminding them of the consequences that they can face. Iran would not be happy with this either but we are talking about three countries who have been the primary oppressors of the Kurdish people.

However, this day of the referendum, with 92.7% already voting for independence, stands as a beacon of hope for the Kurdish people and all the liberty-seeking nations around the world. Perhaps, it is about time that some of other nations, particularly the United States, will join the right side of the camp and put their foot design especially if Turkey and Iraq threaten military action.

I wish them all the best for realizing their dream of independence.