Sri Lankans are left wondering about the incomprehensibility with which
the US Embassy issues a travel advisory for Sri Lanka on 2nd August
warning people to avoid public places, just in case, where as in the US packed
store was open season for a homegrown terrorist to commit mayhem, or a restaurant
where normal people also gather as another place that is unsafe.
It is fair therefore to feel slighted and perturbed by the actions of
the US Govt. (the embassy after all is an adjunct of their State Department)
which affect tourism adversely, where one asks doesn’t US mass shootings affect
their security, or the security of a visitor.
The flip side of this argument is that the SL Government can issue a
travel advisory IN THE USA via its embassy warning Sri Lankan citizens there
about the dangers of home grown terrorism that could appear anywhere, and where
one least expects it. The fact that the shooter in Ohio who killed 9 did so
within the 30 seconds available to him, before he was shot dead speaks volumes
for the deadly arms that are effectively freely available to the citizens, and
could have if there were no cops nearby, have left even more people dead and
injured.
I am sure the US govt. will not complain about an advisory, unlike the SL
govt. which is complaining now, as being unfair. Only potential threats have
necessitated the advisory. The real issue is a travel advisory from the US affects
the SL economy, and the vice versa situation does not affect the US economy at
all, and therein lies the inability to counterbalance the argument itself.
For the appreciation of the argument the homicide rate in the US is
4.9per 100k while in SL it is 2.9per 100k, so the US is a distinctly more
dangerous place. However people don’t come to SL because our homicide rate is
lower and not go to the US because its rate his higher!
Put it another way, the US has 100 people die from road accidents each
day on average, while SL has 10 people dying. However the US population is 16.5
times that of SL. SO it is clearly more dangerous being on a SL road. The US
really should point this out as being a hazard to their citizens, but they don’t,
as it is difficult to explain. If they do, the SL authorities will shout saying
it is not comparing apples with apples.
This whole argument boils down to chance and being at the wrong place at
the wrong time and the probability of anyone being affected by a terrorist
attack bei it in SL or USA is less than being affected by a motor accident in
either country.
1 comment:
In light of the El Paso shootings where Hispanics were disproportionately singled out, the Mexican Government has demanded the protection for its citizens!
How fair or reasonable is that? How can the US protect all Mexican citizens from nutters? What about hispanics in the US who are US citizens? Do they come into the Mexican request? Surely not!
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