Explosions at the iconic Boston Marathon Event in the US have sent shock waves causing the Western media to focus intensively on the global phenomenon described as terrorism. In Sri Lanka there was a feeling of Déjà vu as the Island nation had also experienced bomb blasts at a Marathon event five years ago.
It was on April 6, 2008 that a suicide bomber of the LTTE targeted a marathon race event at Weliweriya in the Gampaha district killing 15 people and injuring more than 90 others. The Boston blasts resulted in three deaths and 132 injured. It was this overt similarity of a marathon race event being targeted in the US that evoked sentiments of a common experience in Sri Lanka.
There are however some differences between both explosions. In Sri Lanka it was a lone suicide bomber who exploded himself whereas in the US two brothers were involved in placing and triggering off the bombs. In the US the explosions occurred at the conclusion of the race while in Sri Lanka it happened just before the marathon started. Also while the number of deaths in Sri Lanka was more the number injured was less than that of the US.
Crucially the important difference between the two tragic events was in the nature and objectives of the perpetrators. In Sri Lanka the attack was identified as the handiwork of the then powerful LTTE whereas in the US there is little evidence so far to indicate whether those responsible are part of an organisational or not.
In Boston there were no specific human targets singled out deliberately. The event by itself was the target with the victims being people in general. The terror unleashed was random in nature. In Weliweriya the Marathon race was not the direct target but only an avenue to eliminate a particular individual. The aim of the Tigers was to assassinate the then minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and the marathon provided an opportunity. All the other victims were from a Tiger perspective “collateral damage”.
Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was a minister in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government and held the portfolios of Trade, Commerce, Consumer Affairs & Marketing Development and Highways. The senior Gampaha district MP was also the Chief Government Whip.
It was on April 6, 2008 that a suicide bomber of the LTTE targeted a marathon race event at Weliweriya in the Gampaha district killing 15 people and injuring more than 90 others. The Boston blasts resulted in three deaths and 132 injured. It was this overt similarity of a marathon race event being targeted in the US that evoked sentiments of a common experience in Sri Lanka.
There are however some differences between both explosions. In Sri Lanka it was a lone suicide bomber who exploded himself whereas in the US two brothers were involved in placing and triggering off the bombs. In the US the explosions occurred at the conclusion of the race while in Sri Lanka it happened just before the marathon started. Also while the number of deaths in Sri Lanka was more the number injured was less than that of the US.
Crucially the important difference between the two tragic events was in the nature and objectives of the perpetrators. In Sri Lanka the attack was identified as the handiwork of the then powerful LTTE whereas in the US there is little evidence so far to indicate whether those responsible are part of an organisational or not.
In Boston there were no specific human targets singled out deliberately. The event by itself was the target with the victims being people in general. The terror unleashed was random in nature. In Weliweriya the Marathon race was not the direct target but only an avenue to eliminate a particular individual. The aim of the Tigers was to assassinate the then minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and the marathon provided an opportunity. All the other victims were from a Tiger perspective “collateral damage”.
Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was a minister in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government and held the portfolios of Trade, Commerce, Consumer Affairs & Marketing Development and Highways. The senior Gampaha district MP was also the Chief Government Whip.
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