THE MANCHESTER BOMB ATTACK

Jun 02, 2017 Editorial, Features / Columnists

Last Monday night’s tragic bomb attack at the Ariana Grande pop concert in Manchester, England, is another clear example of a world caught up in the throes of religious fanaticism, intolerance, and barbarism. It was the deadliest attack on British soil in a decade.

If Governments do not act quickly to end this terrorist threat, the situation will likely get worse in the future rather than better.

Monday’s bombing was a deliberate, barbaric and inhumane attack committed by cowards that killed children, parents and grandparents. The senseless attack killed 22 persons, including an eight-year-old girl and an 80-year-old grandmother and injured more than 100 people. Among the injured were more than a dozen teenagers.

The British press identified the perpetrator as Manchester-born son of Libyan refugees, Salman Abedi, 22. The Islamic State in Syria and Libya, also known as ISIS and ISIL respectively, reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

Those who perpetrate such evil and horrendous deeds have justified their actions in the name of religion. Experts have argued that the scourge of terrorism will not end anytime soon because it brings comfort to the unhappy existence of the wretched. Karl Marx is famous or perhaps infamous for writing that religion is the opium of the people and whether we believe it or not, those of us who are religious would admit that our inner peace and tranquility and our expectation and desire for a better life after death are guided by faith and strict religious conformity.

Unfortunately it is the same faith and strict religious conformity that have led those acting in the name of Islam to strap bombs on their bodies and murder innocent people in Mosques, Churches, Temples, restaurants and football stadiums.

While some spiritual leaders use religion to teach tolerance and love, others have used religion to teach hatred and to murder people. Whatever holy books they may use, be it the Quran or the Bible, everyone can find scriptures to justify their cause to either preach love and tolerance or spread hatred and kill the vulnerable in society.

However, the condemnation of the terrorist attack by religious leaders in Manchester and the bombing of a bus in Egypt that killed 26 Christians have not prevented the terrorists groups from killing in the name of religion.

It is important to note that religious wars have always been fought from the beginning of time. Lest we forget, no period in our existence has been without religious wars. Be it Christian or Muslim, religious wars have led to death, destruction and mayhem. And history has shown that one is no less cruel than the other. History has also shown that non-religious wars by politicians have also been equally or more cruel to human beings than religious wars.

That said, it is rather sad that the bombing in Manchester, England, and others elsewhere show that we now live in a world where terrorists will not flinch at killing the innocent.

World leaders including President Granger have condemned the attack. United States President Donald Trump has stated that the murder of so many young, beautiful, innocent people by evil losers must be completely obliterated.

We in Guyana can do little on the world stage in matters other than to stand in solidarity with the people of Great Britain. Despite those who might delude themselves into believing otherwise, we have to face reality and accept that the world has changed and that a possible terrorist may exist within or next door.

As Guyanese we are proud of our country but we cannot escape the reality that exists around us. We are not insulated from the terrorists.

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