INSECURITY FOR SPORTSPERSONS.
SWORD BEGETS SWORD. And this has exactly what happened to Sri Lanka when its innocent players faced the deadly bullets, bombs and other such weapons from the Islamic militants from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. On the eve of my SSC exam I was playing for SESA Goa in Goa League soccer tournament at Bicholim soccer ground against Dempo-Souza. The current Dempo soccer team was earlier known as Dempo-Souza and later on it was rechristened as Dempo. Bicholim soccer ground was then considered as high risk venue for the players especially when the home team that is Dempo-Souza pitted against their opponents. Bicholim soccer fans were strongly supporting Dempo-Souza and were dead against Sesa. I was playing a very crucial role in Sesa’s defense line marking Dempo-Souza’s ace striker Anand. When the vociferous supporters of Dempo-Souza realized that I would not leave Anand any space to score, some ruffians from the spectators supporting Dempo-Souza started pelting stones on me to frighten me and in fact one stone hit my neck terribly. Though I was not afraid yet my home people were very concerned because of my appearing on the next day for the final Board exam. Later on this stone throwing increased further in which other colleagues of mine were also injured. When the match referee submitted his report to apex soccer body, the Bicholim ground was later on suspended for all future matches.
Once in 1960 at Mapusa Duler ground, when Bicholim were playing against Bemfica, some supporters of Bemfica threw some object on the ground to hit the players but due to the presence of Portuguese Pakle Policemen wielding Revolvers and ready to use them, situation came under control for the safety of the players. During those days one Revolver wielding Paklo could control the whole stadium. This does not mean that players were secured everywhere. There was never security for palyers especially in Inter-village soccer tournaments in Goa due to petty local and regional politics and soccer grounds were right places for such people to settle their scores. In Bardez during those days and even during my time too, the soccer clash between Candolim and Calangute many times created ugly incidents on and off the field. The rivalry between these two villages was such that once Referee Willy from Saligao about 65 years back before the start of the match at Mapusa Duler ground showed to the players and to the spectators two revolvers which he was carrying in both his pockets and warned every one that if there is any threat for him on the field or to any players from the crowd, he would not hesitate to use his weapons.
Sportsmen are very vulnerable for physical attacks either from the rowdy spectators or from the terrorists. It is a worldwide phenomenon. According to information available then, in 1966 Soccer World Cup in England, Brazilian Pele was threatened with dire consequences by Mafia who did not want Pele to play in that tournament and win the World Cup for Brazil for the third time consecutively. Of course outright. Due to this threat, Pele’s concentration on the game was totally disturbed and finally he miserably failed in this tournament. And after the clash between Portugal and Brazil which was won by Portugal under their dynamic forward Eusebio, Pele handed over his Jersey to Eusebio saying “now you are the Pele”.
Now, coming back to the attack on Sri Lankan team in Pakistan at Lahore, Sri Lankan should have not gone to Pakistan when its close neighbour India and supporter who stood by it through thick and thin. Sri Lanka in solidarity with India should have refused to go to Pakistan. Instead they betrayed India and as a result suffered the punishment. Sword Begets Sword. Bombay attack by Pakistani terrorists should have given Sri Lanka a wake up call to be alert of the terrorism going on in Pakistan. In fact, Pakistan is also ruled by an illegal parallel government under the control of Pakistani Muslim terrorists. These Islamic terrorists are supported clandestinely by the Pakistani Government machinery. In the name of their religion these terrorists are creating disorder not only to Pakistan and Pakistanis but also to others. No doubt, in Pakistan the game of Cricket is not only a passion but a religion too. But as a matter of fact, who cares for religion? The very people who so loudly profess their Islamic religion and pray five times a day have themselves turned Holy Mosques into battle grounds to fulfill their demands. For these terrorists religion means nothing. For these people religious places means nothing. No religion tells you to kill innocent people. Taking life of others is a sin against God and those who kill others are enemies of God and they have no place in Heaven. Life is a gift of God and besides God no person got right to snatch it from any living human being.
In Pakistan currently and since the regime of Gen. Zia there is too much of pampering of Islamists. Every successive Government pampered these terrorists and for this reason, they are acting like “dadas” now. To counter her enemies, Indira Gandhi promoted and used religious extremist Bindranwale in Punjab and finally taking advantage of his power he also challenged Indira Gandhi’s authority and created an uncontrollable chaos in India. The rest was a history. The same thing is happening in Pakistan now. The religious extremists are become unstoppable now in Pakistan and they are capable of doing anything not only in Pakistan but also in India. After 26/11 Mumbai attack, the Cricket Board of India was still willing to send its team to Pakistan to play the already scheduled matches there but Indian Government refused permission for Indian team on security grounds. The advice of Intelligence Services to Indian Government was more important than the lust for money in playing Cricket in Pakistan by Indian Cricket Board. The decision of Indian Government to deny permission for Indian Team to travel to Pakistan was very appropriate otherwise, God alone knows what would be the carnage of Indian Cricketers in Pakistan. As it is, there is strong anti-India and anti-Indian sentiments not only in Pakistanis in Pakistan but also in Pakistanis outside Pakistan. The anti-Indian feelings in many Pakistanis are such that it looks at moments that Pakistan was created only for the destruction of India and Indians.
Sri Lankan Government made a big blunder by not getting clear blue print of the security apparatus Pakistan promised to utilize during the tour of Sri Lanka to Pakistan. It was ridiculous for Pakistan not to use bullet proof vehicles to transport the visitors to the stadium. Earlier, when his motorcade was attacked by bombs, Gen. Musherraf was saved because he was traveling in a bulletproof vehicle. Pakistan is a failed nation. Its Islamist elements are failing Pakistan more and more. Pakistani Government leaders are like a bunch of immature kids. They act and talk like illiterate and irresponsible Indian Sarpanches from rural areas. Today they issue one statement and immediately the next day retracts it as they did following the Mumbai attack. Is Zardari first of all fit to rule Pakistan when he was as per reports appearing in the media tortured physically and mentally during his long years of imprisonment in Pakistan? Can anyone notice some mental deformities in him? Will such a person be a good President of a nation? Is Gillani an appropriate Premier for an Atomic nation like Pakistan?
The entire machinery of Pakistan Government is at the mercy of Pakistani Military and fundamentalists. If they can act mad then there is a danger for the liquidation of entire Pakistan from this planet. Any wrong move in Pakistan can easily upset the balance in India. At this moment India cannot be a complacent. The fate of players participating in the forthcoming IPL Cricket tournament in India is unsafe because Pakistani terrorists with the help of Indian terrorists can easily infiltrate in any Cricket match and can easily shoot any player playing on the ground. These terrorist are having cheap lives and to give up their lives for their cause is nothing for them. For you and me life is very important because we value life while the terrorists not. In the name of their ideologies and false religious belief, they want to destroy peace on this planet. Indian Government must be firm on its decision on IPL security. The security of India and its nationals and visitors on Indian soil is more important than just the Cricket.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
