BANGALORE - The "war on terrorism"
is crossing new frontiers. With the corpses of
militants being viewed by counter-terrorism strategists
as efficient recruiters of fighters, some governments
are extending their terror offensive into the
after-life.
Russia
recently approved legislation that disallows returning the
bodies of terrorists or alleged terrorists captured by
Russian forces to their families for burial. Radio
Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) correspondents in the north
Caucasus report that a majority of the deputies
supported the government's view that handing back the
body of a dead terrorist to his family would incite more
violence. The report quotes Boris Panteleev, a lawyer
with the Moscow-based Center for Journalism in Extreme
Situations, who observes that under Supplementary
Amendment No 16 to Russia's anti-terrorism law "the
burial of terrorists killed during the interruption of a
terrorist act is conducted in accordance with federal
government procedures. This means that their bodies are
not handed back and their place of burial is not
announced. The text of the law explicitly states that
this provision also applies to the bodies of terrorists
not yet buried before the legislation came into effect.
In other words, it is retroactive."
In February Chechen commander Ruslan Gelaev was shot dead
by Russian security forces. His body has not been handed
over to his family for burial, despite the family's
pleas and persistent efforts. The bodies of several
other Chechen fighters have not been returned to their
families either.
The last rites for a dead
person and the burial of the body are an important part
of Chechen culture and society, as it is for other
cultures as well. Seeing the dead body is vital for
closure and for making the death real to the family of
the dead person. It helps in the grieving and healing
process. But Russian authorities are apparently not
bothered about these niceties. For them, handing over
the body of Gelaev or that of any other militant to his
family will provide the Chechens with an opportunity to
mobilize huge crowds for the funeral procession, during
which local anger against Russian forces will be stirred
and calls to avenge the death of a fallen fighter will
be made. Russian officials also fear that a monument
celebrating the martyrdom of the fighter will be erected
at the site where the body is buried.
Indeed,
most militant groups have a well-perfected strategy to
stir emotions and mobilize support at the funerals of
their fallen fighters. The death of every member of the
Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as
well as that of ordinary civilians at the hands of the
Israeli Defense Force, is an occasion for celebration of
their "martyrdom". Thousands participate in the funerals
for those killed by Israelis in the occupied
territories. Masked militants firing shots in the air,
shouting anti-Israel and anti-Zionist slogans and
swearing to avenge the death of a fighter, are scenes
frequently witnessed in the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip. It is said that it is the dead rather than the
living who are the more effective recruiters of new
fighters in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The
martyrs' cult - a central component of the Palestinian
resistance - is a powerful emotional magnet to hundreds
of young Palestinians. It is this fear of the power of
the dead and the efficacy of the martyrs' cults that
makes Israel reluctant to hand over the body parts of
Palestinian suicide bombers to their families.
More than 200,000 Palestinians marched
at the funeral of Hamas leader Sheik Yassin, who
was assassinated by Israeli forces this March. It is said that his
death has stirred scores of young Palestinians to
volunteer for suicide operations. Analysts believe that
Yassin dead is far more dangerous to Israel than Yassin
alive, as he has become an even more powerful symbol of
the Palestinian resistance.
A similar dread of
the power of a dead militant is visible in Sri Lanka.
When Sri Lankan forces entered Jaffna town in December
1995 (for several years until then Jaffna was under the
control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam - LTTE),
one of their first targets of attack was a cemetery,
where Tigers killed in combat are buried.
The
celebration of death and the veneration of its martyrs
is a core component of Tiger ideology. The LTTE observes
"Martyrs Week" from November 21-28 every year, when
Tigers killed in combat are worshipped and their
families honored. There is a spurt in the recruitment of
fighters every year during and after Martyrs Week.
Recognizing the immense capacity of fallen
"martyrs" to draw new recruits and motivate its cadres,
the LTTE's funerals are marked with pageantry. Although
bodies of dead Hindus are generally cremated rather than
buried, the LTTE buries its dead combatants, whatever
their religious background. A stone with details of the
dead Tiger marks the burial site. Memorial stones are
erected even for those combatants whose bodies could not
be recovered, such as those who died in suicide
missions.
Several among the "disappeared" in
Jammu and Kashmir are those who were tortured and killed
while in the custody of the Indian security forces
fighting militancy and terrorism there for about 15
years. The bodies of several of these victims bear signs
of torture and the security forces prefer to quietly
dispose of the bodies by dumping them in lakes rather
than return them to their families. In 2001, an attempt
by families of the "disappeared" to put up a memorial
for their missing kin was thwarted by the police, who
removed the foundation stone.
By refusing to
return the body of a dead civilian or militant - or
alleged militant, dishonoring the bodies of dead
fighters and desecrating cemeteries and memorials for
fallen fighters, governments battling terrorism and
militancy are further fueling rage and resentment among
an alienated population. The desecration of LTTE
cemeteries by the Sri Lankan armed forces has caused
deep hurt to the families of the fighters.
Counter-terrorism forces have always shown little mercy
to terrorists. But showing little mercy to their corpses
and families is actually a counter-productive strategy,
in effect strengthening the resolve of terrorist groups
and providing fodder for their propaganda.
Given
that such moves are only deepening rage among an already
alienated people, if they want to tackle the terrorism
issue effectively, counter-terrorism strategists need to
first overcome their dread for the dead.
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