TERROR ATTACK ON MUMBAI
A Prayerful Reflection
We can hardly measure the cost to the human spirit and our sense
of well-being as we witness the mayhem and uncertainty caused
by the yet-unidentified terrorists who carried out the attacks
last week on India’s nerve center, the financial and commercial
capital Mumbai. The terrorist attacks across ten sites including
The Taj Mahal Palace and Oberoi-Trident Hotels, Chabad-Lubavitch
Headquarters, Chhatrapati Shivajee Train Station, Cama hospital,
the famous Leopold’s, a major tourist gathering place have
left over 175 dead and nearly four hundred injured. The attack
has left tragic scars, memories and pain of carnage at each site
in Mumbai, and sent shockwaves through world capitals. Indian
sources are placing the blame on a Pakistan-based militant group
Lashker-e-Taiba as the prime suspect of this horrible crime and
murderous rampage.
The scope of the attack on Mumbai and other world capitals, vulnerable
institutions and sites around the world in recent years suggests
massive failures on the part of authorities. These attacks also
remind us of the tremendous planning, cunning, determination,
and sophistication on the part of the enemies of civilization
to cause maximum havoc and disruption to life, liberty, and peace.
Among the innocents dead in this latest Mumbai attack in Mumbai
are people from many nationalities - Australia, Great Briton,
Italy, Germany, Israel, Canada, Singapore, India, and several
Americans, including young Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and his
wife Rivkah who managed the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Center in
Mumbai, and Alan Scherr of Virginia and his thirteen-year old
daughter Naomi who were in India with The Synchronicity Foundation
group to visit meditation centers and spiritual teachers. In so
many ways, we are all victims of this terrible crime against humanity
as we watched this nightmare unfold before our eyes for three
days. Our hearts and prayers go to each family devastated by this
horrific attack, to the people of India, and to the nations whose
citizens suffered in this tragedy. We grieve for all those adversely
affected by these tragic events in Mumbai and pray that humanity
may be able to prevent such tragedies in the future. We mourn
for the loss to all humanity of so many beautiful and promising
dreams of so many as their lives abruptly and tragically ended
because they happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
In an increasingly interdependent world, an attack on Mumbai,
India; Madrid, Spain; Bali,
Indonesia; London, England; Moscow, Russia; and New York City,
USA are an attack on the entire human civilization. Terrorism
is an open assault on civilized sacred rights and values, democratic
institutions, and way of life and peaceful resolution of outstanding
legitimate conflicts. Its principle aim is to spread fear, panic,
and inflict maximum harm to life, liberty, and peaceful coexistence.
The terrorists engage in acts of horrendous violence, under the
pretext of unattended grievances, taking cover under misplaced
ideology that disregards the unconscionable outrage against innocents,
and blatantly violate the norms of faith doctrines, morality,
and acceptable conduct.
The world is beginning to see terrorism and the terrorists as
a growing cancer on human civilization and recognize that nations
must unite to confront it with well-thought-out initiatives and
counter terrorism strategies, sophisticated intelligence assets
and other needed resources at it command. We are witnessing unprecedented
cooperation, concern, and support from many nations in this dark
hour for India. We are also seeing Indian emotions and Indian
anger rise against its neighbor and nuclear archrival Pakistan
for harboring these terror groups. The greater tragedy would be
a military confrontation between these two countries and we cannot
even begin to imagine its devastating impact on the Indian Sub-Continent
and the rest of the world. We hope and pray that India will aggressively
pursue every diplomatic channel and other avenues to resolve this
crisis and bring the guilty to justice. That would be the best
testimony of India’s strength and maturity as an emerging
Asian Superpower.
Kanwal Prakash “KP” Singh
Indianapolis, Indiana USA
