Matter of priorities

There are two sports over any other in the Commonwealth world. They aren’t soccer (king of sports worldwide) or the basketball (king of sports in America and somehow in China). They are instead two minor sports: rugby and cricket. The first one lives right now the 6 Nations craziness. The second one lives in between the anxiety and the fear for being targeted by terrorists.

Last March 3, a group of gunmen assaulted the bus where Sri Lankan national team was. The terrorist attempt ended up with eight dead (none of the sportsmen) and a few cricketers wounded, including a coach. It is the first attack on a sports team since the Munich massacre during the Olympics in 1972.

The attack helped many to, once again, argue between them. India took the opportunity to call on the lack of security and control over terrorist groups in Pakistan. Mumbai attacks were still fresh. Pakistan, on the other hand, tried to blame hhis neighbor country for the attacks. Some time after, however, they have to dismiss that idea.

Even from Japan some people used the attacks -with the excuse of Sri Lanka being involved- to blame China(!) for the regional instability. The visit of Sri Lankan Defense minister to China was just some more fuel to the fire.

However, the greatest affected by all this mess remained silent. Why? And why is only now, a week alter, that they start asking questions?

The reason remains in Sri Lankan sovereign soil. At that time, Lankan army was involved in a great offensive against the Tamil Tigers (LTTE), that were responding with everything they had, seeing themselves seizes and outnumbered. In other words, they were pretty busy. Now, with the LTTE leader fled out of the country or at least defeated, and with the militia in control of an area of less than 45 square kilometers, priorities have changed.

What hasn’t changed a bit is the situation of the thousand of civilians trapped in the conflict. According to India, there are at least 70,000 people trapped in the warzone, while the UN says they are 200,000. NGOs in the ground, like Doctors without Borders, have been raising awareness about the situation of the region for months. But the only thing they have achieved has been losing their own members, as stated by the last victim: a Red Cross worker.



Photo: Getty Images

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