Intellectual terrorism By Praying Mantis

The phrase ‘Intellectual Terrorism’ is nothing new. There are many forms of it but this article attempts to portray its meaning from an entirely different and perhaps rather somewhat strange perspective. It is not based on intellectuals who engage in terrorism. It goes on to depict the possible consequences of the intelligentsia of our country deserting our country as a result of forceful subtle intellectual terrorism perpetrated by others; the latter being very definitely a contemptible group that is likely to gain big time through the process. It is a form of rather slow death for our nation. It will contribute to making our country a ‘banana republic’.

An intellectual is a highly qualified and gifted individual or professional who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the reality of society, and one who is inclined to propose solutions to the normative problems of civilisation. Terrorism is best defined as the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear, intended to coerce or intimidate the general public in pursuing the goals of a despicable group of individuals that are generally political, religious, or ideological. Connect up the two words and you have the gist of this piece. Intellectual terrorism is a subtle form of coercion that is designed to drive out groups of people who could make a difference for the betterment of the populace. Those who contemplate such coercion stands to gain tremendously by getting rid of potential objectors to their long-laid dreadful plans.

Sri Lanka is currently in the throes of a multifaceted conundrum and an abyss of unprecedented chaos. The economy is in shambles and we have been declared a bankrupt country. The food prices have gone through the roof and there is abject food insecurity. There is rationing of fuel and their prices too are prohibitive, restricting transport severely. The education system is a disgrace and there is rampant childhood malnutrition. The intellectuals and professionals are being taxed unconscionably through a draconian tax act which is perhaps custom-designed to make life intolerable. The free health service is a bedlam of uncertainty with shortages of even essential life-saving medicines and sunk in rampant corruption from the top downwards. The prices of all medicines in the private sector have gone up considerably, making them unaffordable to many. All this while the powers-that-be nonchalantly go about totally unconcerned regarding the plight of their people; akin to playing the viola while the country burns, as Nero did aeons ago. They have tamashas, enjoy life to the fullest, keep on getting their commissions, engage in corrupt deals and do not even shed a reluctant tear of sympathy for their people. The opposing forces in our legislature are totally ineffective and mostly combative against each other and the general public has named them NATO (No Action Talk Only).

In short, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the vast majority to even survive in this thrice-blessed land. The biggest heartache and the persistent worry they have is not knowing what the future holds. The effect that this entire scenario has on the intelligentsia and academics of the country is ominously adverse. Some of them are people who have given up lucrative jobs in developed countries to come back and serve Mother Lanka. Now they are wondering what hit them; and ever so hard at that. They are scrambling fearfully and relentlessly to get out of this despondent hell-hole of a country, seeking greener pastures abroad. They are leaving in large droves, even to be second-class citizens in the West. Highly qualified doctors, top engineers, the very best Information Technology professionals, the cream of the architects, the best-trained airline pilots, top-class administrators and even the most capable mechanics, are in this lot. Currently, all of them are even falling over each other in a wild clamber to get as far away as possible from this miserable land. Mind you…, we cannot blame them at all; no way. They are looking for a vastly better future, for immensely improved opportunities, for appropriate high-quality education for their children, for vistas of splendour for their families, and mostly to have incessant prospects to get on with their lives without all kinds of daily hassles, aggravations and shortages.

This is where the crux of intellectual terrorism comes in. Is this a kind of shameful scheme perpetrated by all the powers-that-be to get rid of our citizens with markedly above-average intelligence? Once that appalling mission is accomplished, the intellectuals and people who can develop this land and make a difference, will be right out of the scene. We would be left behind in this country with a whole lot of the foolish and the gullible, the racketeers, the blatantly dishonest, as well as the very same low-quality humans who could be manipulated by the legislators and the undesirables. All these latter culprits of the scum and pits of the world will have a field day in getting up to all kinds of tricks, blatant corruption, victimisation and unscrupulous manoeuvres to bring about the total collapse of Sri Lanka as a nation.

Is this a subtle way of paving the way for the future for this nasty crowd to have their own way? Just imagine the scenario if most of the best brains leave Sri Lanka. At the rate the professionals are leaving the country it will take just only a little while for our country to be at the behest of these self-serving uneducated rascals who would succeed in getting rid of a collective group of the intelligentsia who could put a spanner in the devious works and well-planned arrangements of the perpetrators of this scheme of intellectual terrorism. Then the deities of subversion, dishonesty, corruption and all other possible misdemeanours could rule the roost in the modern-day pantheon of discontent and gloom that would be Sri Lanka.

We are on the looming verge of an incredible disaster, even bigger than the one we are going through. The inexorable exodus of the professionals would spell doom for this nation and it should be stopped at any cost. Such an endeavour cannot be undertaken by coercion. It can only be done by showing respect for the professionals and making it attractive for them to stay in their motherland. It is no secret that in all professions we have some of the best brains that could hold their own even against the best on the entire planet. We are going to lose a lot of them due to emigration brought on by their reasoning and preferences for a peaceful life. Hardly any professional in Sri Lanka wants to leave this country. However, most unfortunately, they are being forced to do so due to circumstances entirely beyond their control. The unscrupulous people in power are forcing them to do just that, perhaps with the ulterior motive of getting rid of some potential trouble-makers who would stand in their way. It most definitely is one form of Intellectual Terrorism; one that needs to be stopped in its tracks, forthwith and of course ever so rapidly. We need to try and keep the intelligentsia in our beautiful land and get rid of the scum forever.